National Children’s Bureau 21/22 review

Through our leadership role in the sector, NCB made a far-reaching and demonstrable impact on children’s lives through our policy, public affairs and campaigning activity.

Based closely on evidence of need, we led the development of a cross-sector vision for the three-year Spending Review, uniting over 150 organisations in a series of campaign actions calling on the government to #BuildBackChildhood and put #ChildrenAtTheHeart of their long-term spending plans in England. This significantly influenced the Treasury’s decision to invest over £500m in additional services for children and families this year.

Again, taking the lead in the children’s sector, NCB delivered a programme of work to put children’s needs at the heart of new NHS structures in England, securing a number of amendments to primary legislation included in the Health and Care Act and embedding a new appreciation within Whitehall of the benefits of integrating services for children.

The incredibly busy policy agenda has proved challenging, with NCB also playing a key role in providing evidence-based on the views of those with lived experience to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the Leadsom Review, the SEND Review, and the development of Family Hubs.

Our research highlights this year included publishing our report on the Impact of Covid-19 on children with SEND which attracted significant attention from the media and NI Assembly. We also delivered our third annual evaluation report on embedding Trauma Informed Practice across the workforce in Northern Ireland.  We completed our fieldwork evaluating the work of four projects in England that support care leavers with insecure immigration status and we continued to ensure that young people and families inform the research work of our academic partners.

We continue to put the voices of children and young people at the heart of everything we do. Rose, one of our young Trustees, had her say at an event with the Treasury to influence spending decisions. She was amazed to hear people in positions of power really listening to her opinions:

“All of the young people, including myself, were free and allowed to speak up and say what was REALLY bothering us, there was no backlash, counter-arguments or negative questioning. The panel was very receptive to what we had to say, and genuinely wanted to understand.”

It is through your donations that people like Rose can be heard. You are helping us to transform childhood.

Celine is a Director at the Childlife member charity, the National Children’s Bureau.