Child of the North
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childofthenorth.bsky.social
Child of the North
@childofthenorth.bsky.social
Our vision is for children in the North of England to grow up with the same opportunities and life chances as those in the rest of the country.

Child of the North is joint project with the N8 Research Partnership and Health Equity North
Pinned
The preschool years are critical to breaking the cycle of disadvantage and securing the future of the UK

Last year, we highlighted how a third of children were not school ready. New government policies provide hope, but we must work together to ensure that no child is left behind.

A thread👇
The preschool years are critical to breaking the cycle of disadvantage and securing the future of the UK

Last year, we highlighted how a third of children were not school ready. New government policies provide hope, but we must work together to ensure that no child is left behind.

A thread👇
November 7, 2025 at 12:14 PM
A new board game inspired by a @sheffielduni.bsky.social report is helping students learn how digital inequalities affect their everyday lives.

The report, part of the #ChildrenFirst campaign, calls for government guidance to mitigate harms of digital encounters.

sheffield.ac.uk/news/bridgin...
Not all young people are digital natives. In fact, 75% of young people don’t feel they have the necessary digital skills to thrive in life.

What if a life-size playable board game could help students learn about digital inequalities in everyday life?

www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/bridgin...
Bridging the ‘digital divide’ with board games
Helping young people who have moved to University navigate online and digital spaces necessary for their education, and overcome the pitfalls they may encounter, is the subject of a new board game fro...
www.sheffield.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 9:54 AM
For week 8 of our #ChildrenFirst campaign, we're talking oral health

New gov policies reflect evidence from Child of the North and @cfyounglives.bsky.social and offer optimism, but there is still much to do

Social inequalities must be addressed so that no child is left behind

Cont. in comments
October 31, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Reposted by Child of the North
Not all young people are digital natives. In fact, 75% of young people don’t feel they have the necessary digital skills to thrive in life.

What if a life-size playable board game could help students learn about digital inequalities in everyday life?

www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/bridgin...
Bridging the ‘digital divide’ with board games
Helping young people who have moved to University navigate online and digital spaces necessary for their education, and overcome the pitfalls they may encounter, is the subject of a new board game fro...
www.sheffield.ac.uk
October 31, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Reposted by Child of the North
The SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) system is facing ‘a worsening crisis’, according to a new Child of the North report update by @n8research.bsky.social 📝👇

@childofthenorth.bsky.social | @healthequitynorth.bsky.social | @cfyounglives.bsky.social | #ChildrenFirst
SEND support system crisis worsens – latest analysis shows - Lancaster University
The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, already known to be in deep trouble, now faces ‘a worsening crisis’ which, say experts, puts the UK on the brink of a national emergency.
www.lancaster.ac.uk
October 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
We support lifting the two-child cap, as our research shows it to be damaging to the most vulnerable families.

www.healthequitynorth.co.uk/child-of-the...
Relative child poverty has risen since 2010–11, a rise entirely driven by families with three or more children.

Around 60% of families with three or more children are entitled to means tested benefits, and therefore can expect to have their entitlements reduced by the policy.
October 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM
The digital divide continues to limit the life chances of millions of children in Northern England.

Join our campaign to put #ChildrenFirst

www.n8research.org.uk/research-foc...

Head to the comments for more info and resources...

#DigitalDivide #DigitalInclusion #DigitalFutures
October 24, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Schools lack the resources to support the 1.28 million children in England with special educational needs.

Join our campaign to put #ChildrenFirst

Visit: www.n8research.org.uk/research-foc...

Head to the comments for more info and resources...

#SENDcrisis
October 17, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Reposted by Child of the North
Today the University of Bradford joins with universities across the North to call on the Government to take urgent action to improve the lives of children as part of the #ChildrenFirst campaign, which highlights inequalities in the health of young people in the North of England. bit.ly/4nYY7Ck
Children in the North are losing up to 10 years of life due to inactivity and inequality - 2025 - News - University of Bradford
Today the University of Bradford joins with universities across the North to call on the Government to take urgent action to improve the lives of children as part of the #ChildrenFirst campaign, which...
bit.ly
October 13, 2025 at 10:53 AM
“We don’t need to do anything radical, we just need to lift children out of poverty”

Listen to our #ChildoftheNorth panel from Labour Party Conference to hear our panellists discuss how child health and social inequalities can, and must, be reduced.

www.healthequitynorth.co.uk/video-addres...
October 14, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Children in the North are losing up to 10 years of life due to inactivity and inequality.

Join our campaign to put #ChildrenFirst and call on the government to build a country that works for all children and young people.

Visit: www.n8research.org.uk/research-foc...
October 10, 2025 at 3:18 PM
You can now listen to our panel event from Labour Party Conference 2025, where we heard from Kate Proctor from @savechildrenuk.bsky.social, @samrushworthmp.bsky.social, @grahamwhitham.bsky.social, @profkepickett.bsky.social, and Professor David Taylor-Robinson from @liverpooluni.bsky.social. 1/2
October 9, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Reposted by Child of the North
The new analysis builds on a major series of reports published last year on key topics identified by Northern child health leaders as major issues of concern.

Read the full report: tinyurl.com/3cwkkkxp

Learn more about the Child of the North: www.n8research.org.uk/research-foc...
www.n8research.org.uk
October 9, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by Child of the North
📈 Nearly 80,000 more children and young people accessed NHS-funded mental health services in the past year.

Figures from the Child of the North’s #ChildrenFirst campaign reveal that referrals rose from 749,833 in 2023 to 829,308 in 2024/25 - an 11% increase.
October 9, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Today’s @yorkshirepost.co.uk features a column written by @healthequitynorth.bsky.social Exec Director @hannahdavies.bsky.social, who sets out why it’s imperative to scrap the two-child benefit cap if we want to see a reduction in the child poverty rates.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion...
October 7, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Reposted by Child of the North
None of the proposed two-child limit options are as efficient in lifting children out of poverty as fully scrapping the policy.

Fully abolishing the two-child limit should be the starting point of any successful Child Poverty Strategy.

Read more➡️ buff.ly/DyvTYGN
October 4, 2025 at 5:45 PM
For children to have their best start in life, health and education partnerships and community collaboration are key.

Best Start hubs are a move in the right direction, but partnerships need to be accelerated.

Join our campaign to put #ChildrenFirst

Visit: www.n8research.org.uk/research-foc...
October 3, 2025 at 12:33 PM
We want to say a huge thank you to all our speakers & attendees at our #ChildofTheNorth panel at #LabourPartyConference. The inspirational event included those leading change for children in poverty, and young people with lived experience who shared their powerful stories. 1/2
October 2, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Great discussions at our #LabourPartyConference2025 panel, emphasising the need to put poverty reduction at the centre of both national and local government priorities. 1/2
September 30, 2025 at 11:41 AM
We are looking forward to hosting our wireless event ‘Addressing child health and social inequalities through poverty reduction nationally and locally’ at #LabourPartyConference2025, with @healthequitynorth.bsky.social and York Policy Engine.

Conference pass holders can join us at 10am in the ACC.
September 30, 2025 at 8:16 AM
The mental health of young people is declining.

Last year, we highlighted a system under unsustainable pressure, one year on, we need to turn promise into practice.

Join our campaign to put #ChildrenFirst and call on the government to build a country that works for all children and young people.
September 26, 2025 at 1:44 PM
We are thrilled to announce that the Chair for our #LabourPartyConference child poverty event with @healthequitynorth.bsky.social & York Policy Engine will be Kate Proctor from @savechildrenuk.bsky.social.

Find out more: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/addressing...
September 26, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Professor David Taylor-Robinson of @liverpooluni.bsky.social will be speaking on our panel event next week, which will explore how national policy and local strategies can work hand-in-hand to reduce child poverty

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/addressing...
September 26, 2025 at 8:09 AM
We are delighted that @grahamwhitham.bsky.social of @resolvepoverty.org will be joining us at our event at #LabourPartyConference, discussing how to tackle the child poverty challenge

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/addressing...
September 25, 2025 at 8:43 AM
We are delighted that @samrushworthmp.bsky.social, MP for Bishop Auckland, will be joining our panel event at #LabourPartyConference, discussing how to address child health and social inequalities.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/addressing...
September 24, 2025 at 1:06 PM