Growing up in the 2020s: Preparing children for the changes and challenges ahead

The contributors examine how we can prepare children for a future different from today that we cannot and should not try to predict. They consider technology, creativity, enterprise and the early years – and how to tackle inequalities of class and geography.

Among the proposals are:

• Making universally available early education a core part of Labour’s offer to voters and extending early education to two-year-olds.
• Improving the north’s secondary schools in the most deprived areas with a renewed focus on teaching recruitment and leadership as a national priority.
• The creation of a new Department for Children and Families.
• Cross-party political commitment to ensure that education systems balance measures of attainment with those of health and wellbeing.
• The appointment of a cabinet level Minister for Children.
• Introducing enterprise education in schools and colleges.
• Enfranchising 16 and 17 year-olds by lowering the voting age.

Introduced by Angela Rayner MP, the report includes contributions by Deborah Bestwick, Tracy Brabin MP, Liam Byrne MP, Chloe Combi, Wendy Ellyatt, Keri Facer, Chris Keates, Anne Longfield, Jim McMahon MP, and Vicki Shotbolt.