The importance of attendance
As the final few days of summer come to a close, it’s time to get ready for the return to school. I know that so much work goes in to make the first week a success. Teachers are completing inset days, parents are buying pencil cases, and children up and down the country are rushing […]
New evidence on pornography’s influence on harmful sexual behaviour among childrenÂ
New report by Children’s Commissioner for England identifies links between children’s experiences of pornography and subsequent harmful sexual behaviour or abuse 9th May 2023: Testimonies from young people exploring the links between watching violent pornography and experiencing harmful sexual behaviours are highlighted in a new report published today by the Children’s Commissioner for England. The […]
Press release
Letter to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR)
Dear Joanna Cherry KC MP, RE: Follow-up from the oral evidence session on 18 January Thank you for your letter and for inviting me to give evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR). I also want to say thank you to the wider committee members for maintaining a consistent focus on ensuring that […]
Family
Family is a core pillar of my work, following the results of The Big Ask. Children told me that having a supportive family has a positive impact on their lives. They care about their families and they value seeing them, with 80% of 9-17-year-olds saying they are happy or okay with their family life, along […]
Children’s Social Care
In The Big Ask, children in care and those receiving support from children’s social care told me they share the same hopes and dreams as their peers. Some told me how grateful they were for the care they received from foster carers, social workers, adoptive parents and other professionals.  But many also told me about some […]
CCo statement on government strategy for the implementation of the Care Review
Every child in care, or involved with children’s services, deserves safety, love and security. Today the Government sets out its implementation strategy for the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care. This strategy rightly acknowledges that things are currently not good enough for vulnerable children, with too many missing out on the right help. As a […]
Statement
It’s important to listen to children this year
Almost 20 years ago, in 2004, the Children Act 2004 set out the Children’s Commissioner’s primary function: to promote and protect the rights of children in England, including promoting awareness of their views and interests. Since starting my post as Children’s Commissioner in March 2021 I have put children’s voices at the heart of everything […]
Online Communities: Annual roundup
2022 has been a monumental year for children’s safety online. The Government’s landmark Online Safety Bill was re-drafted following Committee scrutiny; the Bill has recently returned to the House to complete its final stages in the Commons and the Lords. This year, the Children’s Commissioner has tirelessly championed young voices on online safety to Ministers, […]
School: Annual roundup
I started this year setting out a bold plan for what England’s education system should be delivering for children. The Big Ask survey, the largest ever of children with over 550,000 responses demonstrated the extent of the aspirations held by this generation. So this year I have worked to imagine an education system which can […]
Welcome back – attendance and the importance of the first week of term
Welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing and well-deserved rest. As you prepare for the new term, I want to emphasise the importance of getting all children in school and ready to learn, every day. In The Big Ask, the largest survey ever of children in England, children told me that getting a good […]
Annual report 2021-22
Introduction by Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England This is my second Annual Report as Children’s Commissioner. This reports on my first full year in office. I am proud and delighted to have taken on this role at such a critical time for our nation’s children. As the tidal wave of the Covid-19 […]
Highlighting women using maths in their careers for National Careers Week
To help connect the maths curriculum with careers, skills and everyday life, we are developing a resource for children that will share career profiles of people who use maths in their jobs and how maths has helped them in their careers and lives. These ‘role models’ aren’t necessarily in a maths specific career, but more […]
Archived Content
Finding out more about children in England detained in the secure estate
At any given time, there are well over a thousand children in England detained in secure care under the Children’s Act, the Mental Health Act or in the youth justice system. These are some of the most vulnerable young people in the country. Around a third of them are being detained for their own welfare or […]
Growing Up Digital one year on
The internet and social media are a permanent part of modern childhood and for most children they offer huge opportunities to learn and connect. Today’s ‘Safer Internet Day’ brings schools, parents, teachers and industry together to make sure children have the power, information and resilience they need to make safe and informed choices online. The […]
Shining a light on the experiences of children excluded from schools and in alternative provision
My ‘Children’s Voices’ report looks at findings from an evidence review of the views, perspectives and experiences of children who have been or at risk of being excluded from school and children in alternative provision.
Childhood vulnerability in England 2017
Note: This report is from 2017, there is a more recent vulnerability report from 2019. New analysis from the Children’s Commissioner for England reveals, for the first time, the scale of vulnerability among children in England. These reports bring together a range of information held by various government departments, agencies and others. Its initial analysis reveals […]
Vital role of school nurses threatened as paperwork eats into time with children
School nurses spend twice as much time on paperwork than on direct work with children in schools.
Anne Longfield responds to Ofsted’s ‘Unknown children – destined for disadvantage?’ report
It is essential to identify the needs of disadvantaged children in the first few years of life, co-ordinate health, education and family support and measure progress as children enter school.
Only 1 in 8 children who are sexually abused are identified by professionals
The Children’s Commissioner calls for urgent action to improve the prevention and early identification of child sex abuse and the support provided for victims.
Guest Blog from Dawn Rees, Principal Policy Adviser: Future in Mind
The Mental Health Task Force set out a strong health-economics platform for improving the emotional health and wellbeing of children – 75% of adult mental health problems start by the age of 18.