Children’s Commissioner launches new campaign to amplify children’s voices in the run-up to next election
by Jess Gibson
The children’s commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has launched The Big Ambition, a new campaign that aims to empower the voices of children and young people in political arenas has been launched.
The campaign hopes to capture children and young people’s opinions and questions for government ahead of the next general election in a wide-ranging described by the Children’s Commissioner as both “ambitious and comprehensive”.
The survey is aimed at children and young people aged six to 18, though parents of children under six years old or with additional needs are encouraged to complete the survey on behalf of their child to ensure the full spectrum of children’s experiences is included.
The survey findings will be put to policymakers to facilitate deeper consideration of the needs of children and young people, as well as of the issues and concerns affecting them – both now and in the future.
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “We welcome the Children Commissioner's efforts to ensure that the views of children and young people are captured ahead of the next general election, and in particular, her efforts to ensure that the views of young children are included in this.
“While we know that the early years of a child’s life are key for their future development, when it comes to policy, all too often their perspectives and experiences are sidelined. Now, with the election on the horizon, there has never been more important time for the voices of children and young people to be heard.
“We look forward to keeping up to date with the progress of the campaign and its findings.”