Skip to main content

Action before crisis

Every child should have the right to grow up safe, happy, and hopeful. But right now, too many teenagers are struggling unnoticed. They’re at crisis point. It’s up to all of us to turn the tide and build the future young people need.

It’s time to turn the tide for teenagers

Teenagers all together

It’s time to turn the tide for teenagers

A new government presents us with an opportunity for a reset – an opportunity to focus on early intervention and prevent teenagers being swept into crisis. 

We must give teenagers the support they need to thrive. This is why we are calling on the new UK government to:

overturn the decline in children’s mental health and wellbeing

  • Act to overturn the decline in children’s mental health and wellbeing.
    Pull young people away from crisis with early intervention. It's time to provide the tools and resources that ensure every teenager can thrive mentally and emotionally.  
  • Better protect teenagers from harm.
    Navigate towards a safer future for our teenagers, protecting them from risks both seen and unseen. Legislation must be introduced to disrupt those who seek to exploit or abuse young people. 
  • Commit to ending child poverty.
    Chart a new course to eradicate child poverty by strengthening the social security lifeline. By strengthening the social security lifeline, we can give every young person the stability they need to succeed.  
A teenager looks at the camera in a classroom.

Ask your MP to take #ActionBeforeCrisis

Teenagers can’t afford to be ignored. Use our online tool to send a postcard to your MP with a few clicks, telling them to act now so that young people have the support they need to thrive.

Statistics

4.3 Million

children are living in poverty.

14,000

incidents of child criminal exploitation were reported between March 2022 and 2023.

15%

increase in the likelihood of young people having a mental health problem in the last three years.

The current situation

The threats to teenagers’ safety and happiness are ever-growing, and yet their needs are still being ignored. Too often, support only comes when the mental health challenges, exploitation, or financial hardship young people are facing have become overwhelming. This is unacceptable. 

The true scale of abuse and exploitation is largely hidden, with many more children at risk of harm, both online and offline. 

The damaging discourse around refugees and migrants has exacerbated the risks faced by children fleeing conflict. These young people, already traumatised by their experiences, face further marginalisation and danger upon their arrival in the UK. 

More and more families are struggling to make ends meet and too many children are worrying about money. With 4.3 million children living in poverty, families continue to face relentless financial hardships. Opportunities are being stripped away and the simple joys of childhood are now luxuries many families can no longer afford.

Read our calls to the new government

England

56%

of pupils in England do not have access to a mental health support team in their school.

Nearly 70,000

children are reported missing annually in the UK

Act to overturn the decline in children’s mental health and wellbeing

An opportunity for a reset

Recent years have been damaging for young people. But a new government could  represent an opportunity for a fresh start. Working together with teenagers, we can make sure positive change is happening in the right places and at the right times, and ensure young people can achieve their ambitions for adulthood. Teenagers are still children, and they deserve a future of hope and happiness.The political decisions that are made now will shape their lives and the future of our nation.

We’re working with charities across the sector to call for the new government to implement the changes that will have a transformative impact for teenagers. Action for Children, Barnardo’s, the National Children’s Bureau, NSPCC, and The Children’s Society have come together as five of the largest children’s charities in the UK to call for children to be ‘at the table’. Together, we are urging the new UK government to commit to put children at the heart of decision-making with an ambitious cross-government strategy and outcomes framework, championed by the prime minister.

For any questions or if you’d like to find out more, please get in touch with us at campaigns@childrenssociety.org.uk

Group of school children speaking around a table