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“The government need to listen to children more, as it’s our future and the world that we have to live in,” girl, 11, The Big Ambition (14 October 2024).

Back in July, following the general election, I launched my 100 Voices Campaign for the first 100 Days of the new government. Every day I shared a child’s voice on the issues that children and young people have told me that matter to them.  

Yesterday saw the 100th and final post of the campaign, and I wanted to take a moment to appreciate all the brilliant children and young people who have shared their views over the last few months. 

During the 100 days, children and young people have spoken about numerous issues including mental health, education, knife crime, online safety and children’s view the police. They have also shared their views about children’s social care, SEND support, free school meals, waiting times to access health support including mental health services, needing to feel prepared for adulthood and the world of work after education, how poverty impacts families and how we can create a more equal and fairer world.  

I heard from children and young people from across England from a wide range of settings including schools, care homes, residential settings, and young offenders’ institutions, among other settings.  

Underpinning all of their views was a clear desire from children and young people to be listened to by decision makers. This was by far the biggest theme to come out of The Big Ambition survey earlier this year, where only one in five of those who responded to the survey said they felt the people who run the country listened to what they had to say.  

As Children’s Commissioner it’s my duty to listen and reflect on what children and young people are telling me to those in positions of power: politicians, policy makers, the adults in charge.  

Children’s voices are often missing from national discussions and debates, but I am making it my mission to change that. My 100 Voices for 100 Days has been another opportunity to highlight what children think.  

When we sat back in awe over the Olympians and Paralympians achievements in Paris, we heard from children who wanted more sporting facilities closer to home. When the government announced the review of the national curriculum, we heard from young people who wanted a great emphasis on life skills. When reports on conditions at HMYOI Feltham, we heard from children in youth offenders’ institutions.  

As well as sharing children’s voices on social media, since the general election my young Ambassadors have spoken to Early Education Minister Stephen Morgan, and a few of them joined me for The Big Conversation panel event at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool with Minister Morgan and the Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce. I have also launched The Big Conversation podcast, where my Youth Ambassadors and I will be interviewing influential people and decision makers.  

As the Children’s Commissioner, but also as a former teacher, headteacher and parent, I understand the importance of listening to children and acting on what they say. That’s why I believe it’s time we moved the dial and ensured children are heard as part of policy development. It’s clear this is an insightful, creative generation with ideas and solutions about the issues that impact their lives. 

There is a window to change the direction of services for children, so they meet children’s needs and ambitions for themselves. I have been supportive of the missions and Government’s approach including the work around the Child Poverty Taskforce, Curriculum Review, changes at Ofsted, Children and Wellbeing Bill, and other legislation. 

Ultimately this work needs to have children’s voices at the heart of it.  

I would like to see the government allowing children every opportunity to present their views: in person at parliamentary committees, at MP surgeries, through consultations and through student voice councils. It’s vital that we listen, act and then make changes with children’s voices ringing in our ears.