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  • • Nearly half of children in care have a mental health disorder
  • • 4.3 million children in the UK are living in poverty
  • • Nearly half of children in care have a mental health disorder
  • • 1.4 million children & young people have a probable mental health disorder
  • • 1 in 5 babies aren’t receiving their entitled health visiting check at one year old
Sign the petition
 

Petition Hand-in and Digi Van

In January, as the countdown to the general election began the Children at the Table campaign launched a petition calling on the next Prime Minister to be a champion for babies, children, and young people, and to put them at the heart of Government.   

By July, thousands of campaigners had joined their voice with ours – standing together to say that ensuring all children have the chance to thrive must be a national priority. The petition eventually reached more than 28,000 signatories.5 young people stood outside the House of Commons holding Children At The Table signs that ask for change.

With a new Government comes new opportunities, and so one week after election day, five young ambassadors representing each of the charities in the Children’s Charities Coalition, went to Downing Street to hand the petition in. 

5 Young people stood outside 10 Downing Street. There is a man stood in the middle of them holding the Children At The Table petition.

To amplify this key moment in the campaign, travelling screens displaying our key messages drove through Keir Starmer’s constituency, Holborn and St Pancras, and around Westminster.   

These screens displayed some of the central messages of the campaign and emphasised that whilst their voices may not have been heard on election day itself, babies, children, and young people still matter. They also featured a direct call to action to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, from 14-year-old ambassador Chan, who joined the hand-in. 

“I’m asking the Prime Minister for change. Change for a better future for every child.” 

Black van outside House of Commons with a yellow screen with the Children At The Table Logo and text asking for change.

We have produced a short video, capturing some of the energy and excitement of the day, which can be viewed here.  

Whilst the petition is no longer live, it is not too late to add your voice to the campaign. We are asking babies, children, and young people to add their handprints and messages to the Children at the Table tablecloth which will be presented at both the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences in the autumn. Handprints can be made using paper and art supplies or online.  Parents can leave messages on behalf of young children.