Two of our Young NCB Advisory Group members share their views on how this government has fared in their first months.
Karah
Recently, the government has started to show more attention to young people’s and children’s needs than it has in the past. But to me, it kind of just feels like a forced response to protests, rather than them actually caring. I feel the system is based around only taking action on things when worst comes to worst, rather than having the goal of preventing the bad things from happening from the start. For example, youth gang activity being looked into only when violence happens rather than providing the help needed so that no gangs were formed in the first place.
It's the same with waiting times for young people's services, whether it be mental health or physical- it doesn't make sense to wait months for treatment for what could’ve been a simple problem but spiralled into a horrible one by the time they got help. Services sound good on paper, but it's a challenge for parents and young people when they try to access them.
In the past year, I have seen some positive changes (although it's mostly local), like social events being held by and for neurodivergent/disabled people in my area, and a lot of activities and clubs. In my school, there have been assemblies about mental health and staying safe, and services where children can reach out for support. They’ve added mental health into the school curriculum, like in form time - it used to just be a time to register who’s in school and talk while looking over our timetables for the day - but now it's focused as an actual lesson on emotions and how to manage them. Recently, our school nurses have started putting up display tables about young people's health during lunch every Monday, allowing students to ask questions and read the information. On a bigger scale, the government invested £88 million in youth clubs and after-school activities this August, and have also brought in the Online Safety Act, which means children cannot access any harmful content online.
Yet, in the news, what I hear most about the government, is funding wars and arguing over immigration. I want to hear about what the government is doing for young people.
Some starting improvements the government could make is more funding for schools, so they can provide better resources, support staff, and safe spaces for their pupils. They could also make mental health services easily accessible and not overly expensive. I’d like to see the government create more youth and social groups for young people and give them more opportunities to participate in things that make a difference… Not only emphasizing how young people need to become more ready and independent for the real world, but also putting them in situations that feel like they have a purpose.
Winter
From the way I see it, the government has continually overlooked the needs of children and young people during their first year in office. Since the vote to maintain the two-child benefit cap, Keir Starmer and other cabinet members have created a divide in British politics between our key decision makers and young people.
As a 16-year-old at a pivotal moment in their life, one of the biggest issues I face is achieving independence in an increasingly complex and constantly changing world. Our PSHE curriculum should teach us practical, if admittedly dull, skills beyond ‘soft’ skills that are already taught like how to book GP and dentist appointments. Speaking with other children and young people, there is a desire for political education that is efficient, clear, and above all else, factual. At the moment, this feels few and far between.
Another huge issue facing children and young people is the mental health crisis, linked closely with school exams and academic stress. The lack of dialogue around it in our parliament goes to show either a lack of consideration, or insufficient communication between our politicians and the young constituents they swear to serve. One thing the government has focused on however is attendance, often at the expense of students’ mental health, and consequently, their grades. Any teacher, teaching assistant, or staff member responsible for special educational needs or disabilities could tell you that protecting students is the priority of a school. Only then can they excel and contribute to their community. If the government had considered consulting the staff and families most involved in cases of ‘poor attendance’ before choosing to more readily prosecute and fine parents, they would understand just how harmful this mindset is.
However, it is clear to most that poverty remains a looming problem for our country, and the permanent effects it has on children and young people’s physical and mental health is incalculable. As I have already highlighted, the vote to maintain the two-child benefit cap broke trust between the government and young people and their families. But this disregard for children and young people’s needs was displayed once again in our government’s rushed welfare reform: a bill that, if it had been passed in its unaltered form, would have been detrimental to children and young people across the country. Even now, our financial security and our futures feel threatened and confused.
Our government has its work cut out for them. They must commit themselves to working towards a shared future: one where all children and young people feel safe, secure and well-equipped to deal with today’s changing climate (both literally and figuratively). Additionally, the government must invest in channels to gather the views and opinions of young people across the country as well as hearing their concerns and criticisms on bills that affect them - which, in reality, is all of them. But most importantly, our government needs to invest in us: their future councillors, MPs and cabinet members. Quality of childhood is the biggest indicator of quality of adulthood: why isn’t this the sole driving force in our legislature?
Karah and Winter are members of the Young NCB Advisory Group. To find out more, visit the YNCB page.