Children's Commissioner for England

Tens of thousands of children are spending long chunks of their childhoods in unsuitable shared accommodation – sharing bathrooms with strangers, often in unpleasant conditions and cramped together in one small space without privacy.

Since my research into the experiences of children living in poverty last summer, I have been pushing for an end to the illegal use o...

The Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza responds to findings from the first phase of the Southport inquiry, released today by Sir Adrian Fulford.

“The findings from today’s inquiry into the terrible events in Southport in summer 2024 are a bleak reminder why the way children’s services work together is so crucial – failure can mean the...

As we approach the end of the Easter holidays and look ahead to another school term, my thoughts turn once again to the children for whom attending school is a challenge. For some, returning to school can be daunting. In my research as Children’s Commissioner, I have explored the impact of missing even the first few days of a new school term on a child’s overall absence...

When I speak to children in care, they share the same hopes and dreams as their peers but are often not able to access the same opportunities. Things that other children might take for granted are not easily available to those in or leaving care: housing, financial support, help getting to and from school, college or university, or work experience.

As Children’s Co...