Children’s charities launch manifesto of actions for the next UK Government

A group of children’s charities led by Children in Scotland has launched a manifesto of actions they say could transform the lives of children and young people in the UK.

The children’s manifesto calls on the UK Government to take action in four areas affecting children: child poverty, rights and democracy, climate change, and Europe.

Sixteen children’s organisations, including the Scottish Youth Parliament, Children 1^st and YouthLink Scotland, have set out 14 actions that they want the next UK Government to commit to.

To tackle child poverty, the groups are calling for the next UK Government to re-adopt binding targets for child poverty reduction, as well as taking action such as reversing the benefits freeze, lifting the benefits cap and ending the two-child limit.

Under democracy and rights, the manifesto calls for voting to be extended to 16 and 17-year-olds in all elections and for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to be incorporated into UK law.

The manifesto also calls for action in the areas of Europe and climate change, including continuing to fund Erasmus, cooperation to ensure no visas are required within the EU and retention of EU workers’ rights, as well as supporting the school climate strikers and committing all UK Government departments to tackling climate change.

Launching the manifesto, Children in Scotland joint acting chief executive Amy Woodhouse said: “The policies the next UK Government pursues will be hugely consequential for children and young people – yet from party pledges to media coverage, young people’s priorities have barely figured in the general election campaign.

“Our manifesto, drawing on best evidence, our consultation work with children, and the views of our partners, is an opportunity to change that.

“We want to get these fundamental child policy issues onto the agenda in this last week of the campaign – and for the duration of the next UK parliament. 

“We’re grateful to all our partners for endorsing these calls and ask anyone with an interest in progressing children’s rights and strengthening equality in the UK to champion them.

“From climate change to child poverty and voting rights to Brexit, we’ll be working with our partners here in Scotland and across the UK to hold the new government at Westminster to account.”