The NCB team attended Conservative and Labour Party Conferences in autumn 2023. The policy team attended events and publicly questioned key government representatives and conference speakers on a variety of issues relating to children’s issues, including education, SEND provision, early years, and children’s health. Partnering with the Children’s Charities Coalition, we hosted very successful events at both conferences, which the profile of children’s issues. We asked politicians to commit to putting babies, children and young people at the heart of Government policy making, backed by a step-change in investment to transform childhoods across the UK.
Conservative Party Conference
Young people at our party conference event
Charity CEOs at our party conference event
Conference Reception Event
Children’s Charity Coalition hosted an event at Conservative Party Conference: Investing where it matters: Putting children and young people at the heart of the next government.
The event was hosted by journalist and presenter Kate Silverton and featured a speech by the Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza.
The event also included a speech by Tim Loughton MP, Chair of the APPG for Children, who outlined the role of the Government and the importance of investing in children and young people.
Most importantly, the event provided a chance for senior government officials to hear directly from young people about the change they want to see in the next government.
Fringe Event
The coalition also hosted a Fringe Event: Why invest in us? Putting children and young people at the heart of the next government.
Prime MInister, Rishi Sunak, at our Fringe Event
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited our fringe event and met with our young people to discuss their priorities and perspectives.
The fringe event hosted panellists including senior government representation, young people, representation from charities and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Institute for Government, discussing how to ensure children are central to the next government’s political agenda.
Early Years Panel
Our Director of External Affairs, Phil Anderson, was a panellist at the Early Education and Childcare Coalition event. Phil highlighted key priorities for ensuring babies and young children get the high quality early education, childcare, and support they deserve.
Phil Anderson, NCB Director, at an early years panel event
Labour Party Conference
The children’s charities coalition hosted a Labour Party Conference Reception: Making every child matter again: Putting children and young people at the heart of the next government.
The event included participation from young people, and a discussion with attendees on the obstacles that young people face in life.
Young people, charity CEOs and MPs at our Labour Party Conference Event
Helen Hayes MP, Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, set out Labour’s ambitions for children and young people if they are elected to Government. Other speakers included Lilian Greenwood MP, Shadow Minister for Arts, Heritage and Civil Society, and Josh MacAlister, former Chair of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care.
The event saw over 200 attendees and enabled young people to speak with a wide variety of politicians about their priorities.