General election 2024
The general election took place on the 4 July. We’re campaigning for the Labour government to make children’s lives safer, happier, and healthier.
This election is a chance for all political parties to work out their top priorities. Governments have come and gone without children getting the focus they deserve – and a generation is suffering for it.
Child poverty is rising. Families are struggling to get help before problems spiral out of control. Record numbers of children are being taken into care. Thousands of children are at the mercy of criminals, at risk of violence and exploitation.
Ask your local candidates to be champions for children.
The Labour government must:
- Lift children out of poverty by building a strong social security system that’s there for families when they need it.
- Keep families out of crisis by investing in proper help for families facing problems.
- Transform the care system by championing real reform, so that our country’s most vulnerable children are no longer let down.
- End the criminal exploitation of children by keeping exploited children safe and creating new powers to tackle exploiters.
Young people need change
“I would ask our next Prime Minister to walk a mile in my shoes so they could understand the daily life and challenges faced by children like me.
I’d like to say to all the political parties running for election that young people must be an important part of any change they want to make.”
Chan, aged 14
Are you campaigning in this election?
If you're a local candidate or party campaigner who would like to know more about what we're asking of the next government, you can read our calls for the next government.
We need action now
These issues don’t exist on their own. Whichever party is next in power, they will have to work together across all areas of government to improve the lives of babies, children and young people.
Through the Children at the Table campaign we’re working in coalition with other leading children’s charities to make sure all parties hear this message.
What we're calling for
- An ambitious cross-Government strategy and outcomes framework, to improve the lives of babies, children and young people
- A new approach to decision-making that places children’s needs at its heart and genuinely involves the voices of children and young people
- Investing more of our national wealth in children, and spending strategically on early intervention and prevention
Children at the Table logo, featuring Action for Children, Barnados, NCB, NSPCC, and The Children's Society
The UK could be the best place in the world to grow up. But right now, it isn’t. Too many children are facing huge challenges – and their voices are going unheard.
That’s why we’ve come together with Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, the National Children’s Bureau and NSPCC.
We want to make sure the next government has a plan to put Children at the Table. We took 27 young people to Parliament in January to launch the campaign.
In the run up to this election, we’ve been speaking regularly to Ministers, Shadow Ministers, civil servants and MPs to make them understand what change is needed, and what actions they can take to immediately improve the lives of children.
We’ve provided them with our research and evidence, and with stories from the families we’re supporting all across the country. You can head to the Children at the Table site to learn more about our campaign.
