By Fiona Ashcroft, CEO Alder Hey Children’s Charity

January 2026

The years we spend growing up matter more than we often realise. A safe, supportive childhood sets the stage for better health and happiness later on. But if those early years are marked by hardship, poverty, trauma, or instability, the impact can last a lifetime. What happens when we’re young doesn’t just shape today, it shapes our future.

As we step into 2026, we must focus on how we deliver a brighter future for our children and young people. Last month, two major government strategies were launched – the Child Poverty Strategy and the National Youth Strategy – both signalling a renewed commitment to children and young people after years of de-prioritisation and disinvestment. These strategies build on the 10-Year Health Plan and could mark the start of a new era. But the real challenge lies ahead, to make sure the promises they contain translate into real change.

Child Poverty Strategy: A Foundation for Change

The Child Poverty Strategy is the first national plan in almost a decade and marks a clear change in tone from the Government, child poverty is now a priority. The goal of lifting 550,000 children out of relative poverty during this Parliament is ambitious but vital.

There’s a lot to welcome here. In particular, scrapping the two-child limit – a move long championed by Alder Hey Children’s Charity and the End Child Poverty Coalition – is a game-changer for families struggling to make ends meet. Although the failure to abolish the overall benefit cap will limit the effectiveness of this measure, particularly for families in deep poverty, the removal of the two-child limit will be transformational.

What stands out most for us is how clearly the strategy recognises the impact poverty has on children’s health and life chances. Health is mentioned over 200 times, with strong emphasis on prevention and early support. Beyond health, the strategy promises a joined-up approach across welfare, education, housing and children’s services. This kind of holistic thinking is how we start to transform care and support for young people and begin to tackle the root causes of ill health, so every child has the chance to grow up healthy and happy.

Our children deserve bold ambition, and while this strategy isn’t the whole answer, it’s an important first step. But as we look forward, how do we ensure these commitments survive political cycles and economic pressures? One child growing up in poverty is one too many. 2026 must be the year we see measurable progress, not just promises.

National Youth Strategy: Power in Young Voices

The National Youth Strategy, the first in 15 years, was shaped by over 14,000 young voices. After a decade of underfunded youth services this feels like a turning point.

The State of the Nation report underpinning the strategy is a sobering read. What comes across loud and clear is young people don’t feel heard. Almost half say their voices don’t matter and that has consequences. When young people aren’t part of the conversation, services end up being designed without them in mind. That needs to change.

Young people are clear on their worries, concerns and their priorities. They want opportunities for the future, better access to physical and mental health support and communities where they belong. In short, they want to “feel happy and be healthy”.

The strategy promises to deliver just that, safe spaces to go, trusted adults who care, and communities where young people can thrive. It also calls for three big shifts – moving decisions closer to local communities, breaking down silos so services work together and giving young people real power to shape what happens.

These are bold ambitions. In 2026 the test will be whether these principles become reality, whether young people truly feel heard and see tangible improvements in their lives.

From Strategy to Change: 2026 as a Year of Action

Both strategies share powerful themes, recognising good health is the foundation we all need to thrive, focusing on prevention and early help and delivering support locally. They’ve also been rightly praised for listening to children, young people and families and for making co-production a priority. That recognition of youth voice is something we need to build on.

For communities across the country, this is a real chance to align local plans with national priorities, bringing health services together with children’s and youth services, creating more trusted spaces and making sure children and families help design the changes that affect them. But strategies alone don’t change lives – delivery does.

As we look ahead, 2026 must be the year of implementation and impact. That means:

• Turning policy into practice at a local level
• Measuring progress transparently
• Keeping children and young people at the heart of every decision

If we remain ambitious and get this right, these strategies could mark the beginning of a new era – one where every child grows up healthy, happy and with hope for the future.

Put Children First – Working to end child health inequality in the UK