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“The government should give children who don’t have presents at Christmas toys to play with” – Boy, 9.   

One of the strongest messages from The Big Ambition responses was that children understand the world, they care about it and want to have their voices listened to when decisions are made about their lives.  

They are passionate about creating a fairer world and want to be included in creating a better future for the children of England.  

As Children’s Commissioner, I know that children’s voices and views are critical to inspiring a fairer and more just future. What better message on which to reflect at the beginning of a new year.   

For many children and young people, the new year is a time to reflect, and for many this will be accompanied by a sharp sense of awareness of privilege and fairness. Over Christmas children often think about why some get more presents than others? Why are only some children’s wishes granted?  

As Children’s Commissioner young people often talk to me about unfairness in our society and show their compassion repeatedly by wanting this to be addressed to create a better world for everyone. 

A closer look at children’s responses to The Big Ambition’s questions on the topic of fairness reveals that certain groups of children feel they are treated less fairly than others – predominantly, black children, children from mixed backgrounds, children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and children with a social worker were less likely to feel like they are treated fairly or like they have the same opportunity as other children.  

“Make sure people are all treated fairly no matter their appearance, beliefs or race” – Girl, 13.  

60% of children with SEND agreed with ‘you are treated fairly’, compared to 75% of children without SEND.  

64% of black children, 65% of children from other ethnic groups, and 66% of children from mixed backgrounds felt like they were treated fairly compared to 71% of Asian and 72% of white children.  

61% of children with a social worker felt like they were treated fairly, compared to 71% of children without social workers. 

“Promoting equal opportunities and reducing inequalities among children and young people is crucial. Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed, regardless of their background and upbringing. By working together, we can create a brighter future for all children and young people.” – Girl, 15. 

Children and young people understand the concept of empowerment and want their input to be more heard by adults. Their responses to The Big Ambition show they have a clear idea of what things they want to change to create a better world for themselves and everyone else in society but often don’t feel empowered enough to change the issues that they care about. Overall, only 22% children agreed that people who run the country listen to their views. Given the great aspirations they have for a better world, this is disappointing – and needs to change.  

“We kids have voices too, hear us out!” – Girl, 17 

Similarly to fairness, certain groups of children feel less empowered than other children: 

47% of children with SEND agreed they felt empowered to change the issues they care about, compared to 54% of children without SEND.  

58% of black children, 55% of Asian children, 53% of children from other ethnic groups, 51% of children from mixed ethnic background, and 50% of white children agreed they felt empowered to change the issues they care about.  

56% of children with a social worker agreed they felt empowered to change the issues they care about compared to 52% of children without a social worker.  

“Children are too often looked down upon as lesser than adults. Adults are no more than children with experience and expectations. There is no fundamental difference in how we think and feel. Children are just as much intelligent, feeling, humans.” – Girl, 17 

Children have told us they hope for a world where everyone has the same educational opportunities to set them up for a bright future, where there is sufficient access to extracurricular activities that allow them to fill their time with meaningful activities, one where the high costs of living that their parents pay are addressed and the people who run public sector services are paid fairly. 

Children and young people are aware of how decisions made by politicians now will affect their lives in the long-term future. They believe that their futures being at stake should be sufficient reason for politicians to consult them to ensure that they are able to express their opinions and share their ideas. Some are frustrated and worried when considering how political decisions will impact them when they are adults. They share that they are aware of the responsibility to take part in creating a better world and want more education on the political landscape of their country so they can meaningfully contribute.  

“Ask children directly what will make them feel better/feel more confident/feel more looked after. Don’t just assume. I don’t think adults really understand us as children/teenagers of today’s society, and I feel like any changes will be better made if they ask us about problems directly, instead of just assuming” – Girl, 16 

These numbers and the opinions children have shared with us in The Big Ambition give us something to think about. This year I want everyone to draw inspiration from the passion with which children speak about shaping a brighter future for themselves and others. Black children felt most like they are treated unfairly, yet they feel most empowered to change the issues they care about. This speaks about the importance children place on playing an active role in addressing the issues that affect them. Children with social workers also felt most like they are treated unfairly but more empowered to change the issues they care about – this tells us something about the importance of a trusted adult in children’s lives that opens avenues for them to express their wishes and feelings.   

As adults, there is much we can learn and mirror in our own thinking. Let’s carry forward the lessons we’ve learned from children and young people: their sharp sense of fairness and their hope for a better future for everyone.  

By listening to their voices and acting on their views, we can not only enrich their understanding of the world but also nurture a generation that values fairness and compassion.  

Perhaps our big ambition for 2025 should be to build connections that create a more just world.