It comes as the new Prime Minister Liz Truss begins appointing ministers to her Cabinet after being invited by the Queen to form a Government yesterday.
Members of the Children’s Alliance want the new Prime Minister to appoint a minister for children and young people to ensure children’s needs are at the ‘heart’ of policy across all Government departments.
Within their quartet of reports covering education, housing, health and transport, the Alliance identifies the need for a change in approach to ensure children and young people are put at the forefront of policy.
Honorary president of the Children’s Alliance Baroness Frances De Souza said, ‘Sky high energy bills and a catastrophic cost of living crisis hot on the heels of a “once in a century” pandemic mean that we cannot go on as before. Children and young people are consigned to the margins of a country they will one day lead and there has been no legislation about their health and wellbeing since 2010.
‘The new Prime Minister must stop the rot and appoint a Cabinet minister for children and young people who will ensure that their needs are at the heart of policy in all Government Departments. Pilot schemes and locally commissioned projects are poor excuses for decisive national leadership at a time of national emergency.’
Southend West MP Anna Firth, who will host the event, said, ‘My distinguished predecessor Sir David Amess had agreed to host this event initially and did much to bring the excellent work of Children’s Alliance to the attention of our Parliamentary and Ministerial colleagues. I am so sad that he cannot celebrate the publication of the policy quartet with us today but know that his wonderful work with and for children and young people everywhere is a legacy that we will always honour in his name at Westminster – the seat of our democracy and the guardian of equality and justice for all.’
