Looking Ahead: Building a Brighter Future for Children and Young People
A new blog by Fiona Ashcroft, CEO Alder Hey Children’s Charity
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.
Read Fiona Ashcroft’s comment on why these strategies are so important
Articles, Blogs, Reports and Links
The following links provide additional context to our campaign.
People experiencing poverty are at the deep end of health inequalities, and are also more likely to be a part of minoritised groups who also experience health inequalities as a result of, for example, race, gender and disability. It’s important that work addressing health inequalities is also explicit about the impact of poverty, because those affected by poverty have a high risk of the worst health outcomes. Author Deborah Fenney.
https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/nhs-tackling-poverty
Given the depth and scale of poverty today, I feel strangely optimistic about the NHS’s ability to tackle both poverty and poverty stigma, despite the concerns I set out in my earlier blog about how the NHS contributes to the stigma that surrounds adult poverty. There are clear signs that the NHS is more than capable of doing this work, and in some cases has already begun. Author Julia Cream.
https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/optimistic-nhs-ability-tackle-poverty
Sunday Express: Sophia's brave journey
Sophia features in Put Children First first short film for #IgniteTheSparks. The Sunday Express featured her amazing story, illustrating that with opportunity every child can fulfil their potential.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2030923/sophia-morton-heart-op-shirley-ballas
National Children's Bureau Chief Executive responds to Start for Life funding extension
Following the Department for Education’s announcement that Start for Life funding will be extended until March 2026, NCB CEO Anna Feuchtwang has issued the following statement.
“The National Children’s Bureau supports the government’s ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, and its mission to increase the number of 5-year-olds reaching a good level of development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, before the next General Election.
“That is why we warmly welcome today’s announcement that funding for the Start for Life programme will be extended until March 2026. This compliments commitments in October’s Budget to fund Family Hubs, improve the quality of early education and childcare, and provide £250 million for local authorities to develop a new Family Help offer for those struggling with the greatest adversity.
“The funding announced today is a much needed down-payment that must pave the way for greater investment in the multi-year Spending Review, so that Start for Life can reach all parts of the country.”
