The Children's Society Policy and Youth Practice

Gordon brown on a small stage with amol rajan behind.

Photo of the feet of five children in school uniform and the floor

Fantastic morning marking 60 mighty years of @cpaguk.bsky.social - hearing Gordon Brown speak & make calls to action to eradicate child poverty and connecting all the words said with the reality of children’s lives - we listened to a joyous children’s choir. Not a dry eye in the house 1/2

North East teenagers facing 'Christmas pressure' behind festive 'smiles and sparkle' North East teenagers are under growing pressure during the festive season, according to new research from The Children’s Society.

North East teenagers are under growing pressure during the festive season.

Thank you Cllr Stephen Lewis Elms for unveiling our installation.

Read more: www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2559923...

Thank you to @munirawilson.bsky.social MP, for sharing about our #GoodChildhoodReport 2025 and supporting our call for the national wellbeing measurement too!

It's time we all take children and young peoples mental health seriously!

Thank you for sharing and for your support!

Watch the great video below from our #GoodChildhoodReport '25 launch, where we & the amazing young people at @leadersunlocked.bsky.social visited Parliament to call for urgent action to tackle the growing crisis in children’s wellbeing.

📢It doesn't have to be this way. Take action now: 📢

We went to Parliament to call for urgent action to tackle the growing crisis in children’s wellbeing.

The #GoodChildhoodReport found that children’s overall happiness has been in decline for over a decade.

It doesn't have to be this way. Take action now: act.childrenssociety.org.uk/page/179704/...

Rachael Wardell of ADCS addresses the Research in Practice Leaders' Forum

Rachael Wardell @theadcsltd.bsky.social: The adults and children's sectors can label prevention work differently, but we grapple with the same challenges. All adults were children once #LeadersF25

Very good to hear Rachael Wardell speak @researchip.bsky.social leaders forum: “prevention is synonymous with a great childhood” …”the first 18 years MATTER”

#LeadersF25

Young people tell us what needs to change in this years #GoodChildhoodReport

Every child deserves to have an adult they can trust. Too many young people are left to face life’s challenges alone, without the support they need. That’s why we’re calling for a Chosen Trusted Adult Promise - a commitment to ensure every young person h...

As Lord Blunkett writes, “Having someone close who you can confide in, and will be there when things go badly wrong will make such a difference in life.”

The GCR shows young people are asking for just that; in a chosen trusted adult.

It’s time to make this support a reality, sign our open letter:

The Good Childhood Report | The Children's Society Our Good Childhood Report finds that too many young people are unhappy with their lives. The Government must act now and set a path to a good childhood for all.

With 9% of young people reporting low wellbeing and getting good grades topping the list of worries for children, it’s clear we need bold, joined-up action.

Explore the latest #GodChildhoodReport 2025 findings:

Wellbeing for the next generation: Lessons from Sure Start and beyond | PBE By Lord David Blunkett I was recently asked in an interview what I thought was the “good life”, which rather threw me. What is a “good life” for one person might be an absolute nightmare for another. ...

Wellbeing for the next generation” from @pbe.co.uk is a timely reflection on what it takes to build a good childhood - echoing many of the concerns raised in our 2025 #GoodChildhoodReport

Read the @pbe.co.uk article here:

The outside of the Time Newham service, the window covered in balloons and banners in celebration. Window reads, 'It's Time. A support space for young people.' Additional posters and stickers dotted around the window.

An image of a hand adding a candle to a white sheet cake on a table, making it 7 lit candles. The cake is white with multicoloured firework patterns, and orange text reading 'Time Newham is One.'

A year ago, we opened Time for young people Newham.

It’s a space for young people in Newham to pause and find support as soon as they need it.

To celebrate, we spoke to staff to find out the difference it’s made to the local community: www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/b...

Attended the Young Carers Futures Conference hosted by Carers Trust on 23 October 2025 — inspiring workshops, powerful youth voices, and practical ideas on better identifying and supporting young carers.
#YCFutures2025

BBC’s Repair Shop star joins art and glass workshop organised by Leighton Buzzard charity A member of BBC’s Repair Shop team helped lead a decorative art and glass workshop organised by Leighton Buzzard charity The Children’s Society.

Love to see this - young creatives from @childrenssociety.bsky.social service in Bedfordshire creating art and glass samples for our Chelsea Flower Show garden 🎨

www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/people/...

Thousands of teenagers are feeling totally overwhelmed by the noise of life – stress, pressure and problems that feel too big to handle 💢

Will you support our vital work and help a child quiet the noise this Christmas? www.childrenssociety.org.uk/how-you-can-...

We’re hiring a Senior Policy & Public Affairs Officer – Wales!📢💼
Lead impactful work with the Senedd and Welsh Government, championing children’s voices to shape a fairer, safer Wales.

Join us at The Children’s Society to drive change through policy, advocacy, and collaboration. #TeamTCS

We urge the Government to prioritise a national rollout of Young Futures Hubs—local, holistic spaces where young people can freely access support and take a break from daily pressures.

These hubs are vital for improving youth wellbeing and bridging gaps in services.

@mind.org.uk recent report highlights the power of early support hubs to bridge gaps between health, education and youth services.

Young people deserve timely, accessible mental health support. 📢

Last week, our Prevention Officer, Alice, teamed up with South Yorkshire Police's #OpMakesafe lead to deliver learning sessions to managers & staff from Starboard hotels in Yorkshire, East Midlands & Cumbria, focused on supporting the hotel industry to prevent and disrupt #ChildExploitation

Why the government must set targets to reduce child poverty Big Issue leads campaigners in voicing concerns that the child poverty strategy will be published without targets

Setting measurable targets in the strategy will keep driving forward the action we desperately need. Read our open letter in full, link in comments.

#childpoverty #bigissue #openletter

Linked below is a full letter copy has been published alongside this on Big Issue:

Charities and stars call on UK government to set child poverty reduction targets Signatories of open letter include National Children’s Bureau, Barnardo’s and celebrities such as Emilia Clarke

We are highly concerned that in an increasingly challenging economic climate, the government’s ambitions for change will not translate into tangible progress for children. 📢

You can read more here:

Big Issue poster stating we're joining the open letter to urge the Government to set child poverty targets.

We're joining @bigissue.com & 65 other signatories in an open letter urging the government to set child poverty targets in the upcoming child poverty strategy.

4.5 million children are growing up in poverty in the UK, & while ministers have been promising change, that figure has continued to rise.

The Minister, Andrew Western MP (pictured), spoke among others at the Turn2Us report launch event today.

Our policy team had a great day attending the parliamentary reception for the launch of @turn2us.org.uk report, Stigma to support: Rebuilding trust in our social security system.

It makes an important call for a social security system that treats everyone with dignity and respect.📢 #StoptheStigma

The Good Childhood Report | The Children's Society Our Good Childhood Report finds that too many young people are unhappy with their lives. The Government must act now and set a path to a good childhood for all.

Read more in the full #GoodChildhoodReport:
www.childrenssociety.org.uk/good-childhood

Our key 5 steps to create better childhoods

It's been a week since we launched our #GoodChildhoodReport 2025 📢

Revealing that young people across the UK are feeling the strain from every angle & their wellbeing is still in decline.

How can we overturn this to create a society for all our children to thrive? We’ve outlined our 5 key steps:

The Government should act quickly to lift the two-child limit on benefits.

Any further delay has significant human consequences, with more and more children captured by the policy every year.

Read 'No half measures' 👉 buff.ly/qVc9CWs

Simon Conway | Global Player Listen to Simon Conway for free on Global Player.

📢 The Good Childhood Report is out!

🎙️ Our Director Jack O'Neill joined @LBC last Thursday to chat with Simon Conway about the pressures young people face across the UK.

👂 Hear the clip from 3:25–3:30:

🔗 globalplayer.com/catchup/lbcn...

Thank you for sharing 🙌

Great to see our #GoodChildhoodReport 2025 being shared in the @churchtimes.bsky.social 🙌🔊

Amplifying how children’s wellbeing is still in decline. We cannot allow this to be our normal, it is time for change.

Read the full report on our website now: www.childrenssociety.org.uk/good-childhood

Thank you for sharing 🙌