Help us give children a seat at the table

It's time for the next Government to make childhoods a national priority

Ask the next Prime Minister to be a champion for children

Sign the petition now

The UK could be the best place in the world to grow up. But right now, it isn’t. Children are facing more challenges. There are more babies going without support from health visitors. More children are growing up in poverty. And more young people are waiting months on a mental health waiting list. These trends are going the wrong way.  

We must make sure that whoever is the Prime Minister after the General Election this year does more to make good childhoods a national priority.
Sign our petition asking the next Prime Minister to be a champion for children

It's time for the next Government to make childhoods a national priority

Ahead of the upcoming general election, we at Barnardo's, along with four of the UK’s largest children’s charities – Action for Children, The Children’s Society, the National Children’s Bureau and NSPCC – have come together to call for whoever becomes the next Prime Minister and Chancellor to be champions for children.

Supported by more than 130 organisations from the voluntary and community sectors, we want to make sure the next government has a plan to make decisions for babies, children and young people and put Children at the Table. 

The next Government must:

  • work together to improve the lives of babies, children and young people
  • put children’s needs and voices at the heart of decision making 
  • spend more of the nation’s wealth on babies, children and young people 

Find out more about the Children at the Table campaign

Find out more about our other campaigns

  • A girl with a plate of food

    Child poverty


    More than one in four children in the UK are living in poverty and the cost-of-living crisis will make this worse as families struggle to pay their bills. That's about eight children in every classroom. It shouldn't be this way. No child should grow up in poverty. 

  • A Barnardo's worker with a young girl having a conversation

    Ask the government to provide mental health support in all schools

    Supporting children and young people’s mental health is vital to prevent long-term health, social and financial impacts into adulthood. Barnardo’s are calling on the Government to implement mental health support teams (MHSTs) to cover every school and college throughout England.

  • A group of 4 people handing in a petition in front of Downing Street

    Taking Barnardo's free school meals petition to Downing Street


    We handed in our 32,000 strong petition calling for free school meals for all primary school children in England to Downing Street. We were joined by actress Michelle Collins and Jake and Dasha who have worked with Barnardo's.