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My Plan for the year, 2025-26

3 April 2025

I’ve designed a version of my Business Plan aimed specifically for children and young people, sharing the projects and themes that my office will be working on. As Children’s Commissioner for England, it is my job to listen to you and take your voices to decision makers. In my survey, The Big Ambition, only one […]

Report

The impact of housing instability on children’s GCSE grades

28 March 2025

Every child should have a loving, secure home, but when it comes to housing, children get a raw deal.   Thousands of children are living in temporary accommodation, including many in emergency ‘B&B’ style accommodation for longer than the statutory six-week limit1 – and they are paying the price of this disruption and instability in their […]

Report

The Big Conversation Podcast – Episode 6 – Mina Gerhardsen, Norwegian Ombudsperson for Children

20 March 2025

The Big Conversation: In conversation with the Children’s Commissioner and her youth Ambassadors is my podcast series where I share the voices and views of England’s children.  The podcast draws on the themes in The Big Ambition and will focus on the most important issues that are impacting young people’s lives, with solutions developed with […]

Podcast

The educational journeys of children in secure settings

27 February 2025

Since becoming Children’s Commissioner nearly four years ago, I’ve made it my mission to listen to young people in some of the most challenging circumstances, facing the most uncertain futures.   Children living in secure settings are at the sharpest end of this definition. Their numbers are small, with around 400 at any one time located […]

Report

The Big Conversation Podcast – Episode 5 – Angela Salt, CEO, Girlguiding

20 February 2025

The Big Conversation: In conversation with the Children’s Commissioner and her youth Ambassadors is my podcast series where I share the voices and views of England’s children.  The podcast draws on the themes in The Big Ambition and will focus on the most important issues that are impacting young people’s lives, with solutions developed with […]

Podcast

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Children’s Commissioner’s Written Evidence

12 February 2025

The Children’s Commissioner welcomes the opportunity to submit written evidence to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill Committee. This evidence builds on oral evidence provided by the Children’s Commissioner on 21 January, on a wider briefing on the Bill that was provided to the Committee and published on the Children’s Commissioner’s website, and on prior […]

Report

Equal protection from assault for children – Briefing for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

6 February 2025

The Children’s Commissioner wants England to be the best place for children to grow up. Every child should be safe, healthy and happy – and not live in fear. However currently in England, children are the only people who are not fully protected in law from assault and battery. The ‘reasonable punishment’ defence in common […]

Report

The Big Conversation Podcast – Episode 4 – Rachel Treweek Bishop of Gloucester

30 January 2025

The Big Conversation: In conversation with the Children’s Commissioner and her youth Ambassadors is my podcast series where I share the voices and views of England’s children.  The podcast draws on the themes in The Big Ambition and will focus on the most important issues that are impacting young people’s lives, with solutions developed with […]

Podcast

Children’s involvement in the 2024 riots

28 January 2025

Last July, the country was rocked by the murders of three little girls in Southport. Bebe King, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Elsie Dot Stancombe who were killed while taking part in a dance class during their summer holiday; a scene of simple childhood innocence destroyed by terrifying violence. The initial response from the community […]

Report

Briefing for MPs on Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – January 2025

9 January 2025

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is urgent. The death of Sara Sharif and the recent resurfacing of the crimes by grooming gangs have further highlighted that too many services children rely on are failing – whether that is children missing out on the benefits of school and education, or children living in social care […]

Briefing

Help at Hand annual report 2023-2024

30 December 2024

In my four years as Children’s Commissioner for England, I have heard from more than a million children about their hopes and ambitions, and what they want from the adults making decisions in their lives. Crucially, regardless of their circumstances or backgrounds, children want their voices listened to on how to tackle key issues facing […]

Report

The Big Conversation Podcast – Episode 3 – Ruth Marvel OBE, Chief Executive, Duke of Edinburgh

20 December 2024

The Big Conversation: In conversation with the Children’s Commissioner and her youth Ambassadors is my podcast series where I share the voices and views of England’s children.  The podcast draws on the themes in The Big Ambition and will focus on the most important issues that are impacting young people’s lives, with solutions developed with […]

Podcast