As Children’s Commissioner it is my duty to promote and protect the rights of all children, with particular regard to children who are living away from home or receiving social care services. My priority is to listen to children across the country, to hear about their lives and champion their voices.
Our priority areas
School Survey
The biggest ever survey of schools and colleges in England is underway, to capture up-to-date information about children’s experiences of school – to drive improvements in how they receive support. It will be open until December 20, 2024.
The Big Ambition
We launched the Big Ambition to hear from children in the lead up to the next General Election on their lives, and what they want from the government to improve them. Findings from the survey were published and launched in Parliament in March 2024, adding to the work of the office over the past three years to bring the voices and experiences of a million children to politicians.
Latest News
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Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on making Child Criminal Exploitation a criminal offence22 February 2025Statement -
Celebrating Care Day 2025, what children told The Big Ambition about careÂ21 February 2025News and blogs -
The Big Conversation: Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester Â17 February 2025News and blogs -
Safer Internet Day 202511 February 2025News and blogs -
Children’s Mental Health Week 20257 February 2025News and blogs -
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner ahead of the inquiry into the Southport murders28 January 2025Statement
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Press Notice: Deep distrust of the police and lack of opportunity as drivers in children’s motivation to take part in last summer’s riotsNews and blogs -
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the Second Reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill27 January 2025Statement
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Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana23 January 2025Statement
Latest Reports
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Children’s Commissioner’s Written Evidence
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 […]
Equal protection from assault for children – Briefing for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
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 […]
Children’s involvement in the 2024 riots
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 […]
Help at Hand annual report 2023-2024
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 […]
Illegal Children’s Homes
Every night across England hundreds of children are going to sleep in illegal homes where they are often isolated and left without appropriate care. Most of these are run by private organisations which have the least amount of oversight and scrutiny, leaving children at an increased risk of harm. There is no process for checking […]
Deaths of children in need
This report contains new findings on the deaths of children in need. ‘Child in need’ is an umbrella term including looked after children, children on a child protection plan, and children on a child in need plan. This report examines the characteristics of children and young people who die having had social care involvement, and […]
Hierarchy of needs for care experienced young people
The Children’s Commissioner’s Care Experienced Advisory Board have created a hierarchy of needs based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It is a visual guide to help professionals working with care experienced young people understand their needs and support them. The different levels of the pyramid consider the basic requirements that care experienced young people need […]
Children with complex needs who are deprived of liberty: Interviews with children to understand their experiences of being deprived of their liberty
Thousands of children in the United Kingdom are currently deprived of their liberty. They are confined in young offender institutions, mental health wards, or secure children’s homes, but a growing proportion are being deprived of their liberty outside a secure setting, through the use of High Court deprivation of liberty orders. These orders, which are […]
Children’s voices on mathematics
As Children’s Commissioner one of my main ambitions is that every child has access to a brilliant education: one that helps them to achieve their goals, no matter how ambitious. To make this possible they need access to a broad range of subjects, with a particular focus on the core subjects of English, maths and […]
