Children's Commissioner for England · Government · News and reports on children's rights and welfare.
A version of the below blog was published on Politics Home in November 2026. As I come to the end of my six-year term, I worry Westminster simply doesn’t pay enough attention to children. Young people themselves think that’s the case – in my earlier survey The Big Ambition only one in five said politicians […]
I recently published The Childhood Lottery report – bringing together 162 metrics, including children’s own views and experiences, to create one of the most comprehensive datasets on children’s lives. I am so grateful for the thoughtful and constructive engagement I have had directly and on social media. Representatives from across the country have asked about […]
The following blog contains reference to self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Earlier this week I published The Childhood Lottery outlining children’s different experiences of childhood, depending on where they live. At the launch event, I was joined by several of my former and current Youth Ambassadors who helped put questions to the panellists – including 17-year-old […]
On Monday the Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza published The Childhood Lottery, at the launch event in Westminster she delivered the following speech: Every day in England, on average, about 1,600 children are born. Today, I want to tell you about two of them. They could be any two children, in any two hospitals. […]
The Children’s Commissioner will name the hardest places to grow up in England and warn of a ‘state of emergency’ in some communities. In a speech on Monday Dame Rachel de Souza will urge national, regional and local government to seize the opportunity of devolution to deliver for young people in every postcode – including […]
As Children’s Commissioner, I want every child to have the chance to have a happy, healthy childhood. In speaking to children across the country, I know that where you grow up can have a profound impact on the opportunities young people have, the services they can access, and the challenges they face. Over the last […]
Today’s guest blog comes from Ben Walker a Youth Lead in the Scouts; he recently met the Children’s Commissioner as part of The Big Future visit in Cumbria. Ben joined the Beavers at age 7. Scouting has been a continuous part of his life, shaping him into the person he is today. For the last […]
“The joy of sharing a book together is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child. Reading helps children dream bigger, build confidence and feel connected.” – Frank Cottrell-Boyce, author and former Children’s Laureate Frank shared these powerful words after we joined a royal visit to Spellow Library. Her Majesty The Queen, Patron […]
This week, I went to a place that, for many years, was home. I grew up in Scunthorpe. It is where my family – in the words of It’s A Wonderful Life – did their working and paying and living and dying. It is where my father became a skilled pipefitter at the steelworks, after […]
Today I am sharing a guest blog written by one of my former Youth Ambassadors, Rylie. Rylie was part of the first cohort of Ambassadors in 2024 and is from Darlington. After leaving school Rylie undertook an apprenticeship and works as a consultant, including as a global advisor on education and youth policy, supporting the […]
Recently I had the privilege of attending the 20th WellChild Awards – an inspiring evening celebrating the courage and achievements of children and young people, as well as the families, carers and professionals who support them. As part of the evening’s celebrations, I was honoured to present the Inspirational Child 7–11 Award to 10-year-old […]
The first few years of my time as Children’s Commissioner were immediately post Covid. In many ways, I imagined that the response to the pandemic, and its impact on children, would be what defined my time as Commissioner. It is so odd that it so clearly has, and yet in many ways this goes unacknowledged. […]
