Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive of the National Children's Bureau said:
'The plans outlined in the Queen's Speech show promise for children and their families, but it is disappointing that an overarching strategy to give children a better standard of life seems missing from the new government's programme, in particular robust action to tackle child poverty and disadvantage. '
'We welcome measures to expand access to early education and childcare as this can significantly improve young children's development, provided it is of a high standard. The Government will need to address the challenges facing early years providers in recruiting well-qualified and experienced staff, and tackle the funding shortages that mean a lack of high quality places for disadvantaged two-year olds and children with special educational needs or disabilities.
'We are glad to see that improving access to mental health services is high on the Government's agenda; children must be at the heart of these plans. We are particularly pleased to see action on the detention of children in mental health crisis in police custody, which can be a very distressing experience for these vulnerable children. However, any measures to restrict the use of police custody must be implemented carefully to ensure that age-appropriate alternative places of safety are available, near to children's homes and families.'