We must not forget vulnerable children

For the thousands of children living in the West of England the Covid-19 crisis has been a period of extreme change and has affected how many young people feel about their lives. So as we emerge from this time how are we going to help these young people recover?

Official figures reveal that out of the 189,600 children living in the West of England, 42,700 live in poverty (that’s 25% of all children in the region), 20,900 households with child dependants are on Universal Credit and there are an estimated 27,100 children aged 5-16 with a mental health condition.

The Children’s Society’s annual Good Childhood Report has found a significant fall in children’s happiness with their lives overall in the past decade. On top of this, the Covid crisis has put even more pressure on young people as they have missed learning and friends.

Many families have seen incomes fall, and the most vulnerable children have been out of sight of services designed to keep them safe.

The Children’s Society’s new campaign #Jointhefightback, is calling for candidates standing for election and those elected in the West of England on today to prioritise the well-being of children and young people.

Young people might not be able to vote in these elections, but they deserve to have politicians representing committed to making decisions that help them live a happy, safe and fulfilling life. To sign up to pledge support go to www.childrenssociety.org.uk/campaign

Chief Executive, The Children’s Society