The ALLIANCE 4 CHILDREN (A4C) is a not-for-profit company that has expanded our combined work substantially.

Working Groups: A4C works with over 300 organisations, including charities, universities, and hospitals, through five working groups: Emotional Health, Early Years, Physical Activity, AI/Social Media and Online (The Electric Playground), and Food & Nutrition.

Recent Advocacy and Campaigns:

• Our CEO coordinated a coalition of major public health bodies and published “The Health of the Next Generation – Good Food For Children²“, with many recommendations now implemented by the Labour government. The event was widely attended by MPs, Peers and Ministers and had ITV News broadcast.
• A4C produced the School Nursing report with SAPHNA, launching ‘The Forgotten Frontline’³ at the House of Lords, then a Hand-in at 10 Downing Street and ITV News Broadcast. We eventually helped to secure millions of pounds in national funding and extra recognition.
• March 2025 we produced Adolescence – How to Help Your Child, with our Emotional Health Working Group.¹⁹
• We have been calling for a “Junk Food Tax” and a “BIG TECH Tax”, with the ring-fenced funds dedicated to helping children. The campaign has over 75 MPs and Peers, 300+ organisations, and nearly 30,000 public signatures.
• Our Emotional Health Group created the “ROLES, ROUTES & RESOURCES – A practical guide to wellbeing support for children & young people”^4.
• In June 2024 we had a fantastic event at the House of Lords, Downing Street, with ITV News, producing our POWER 2 PLAY¹⁸ report and song with Alison Wheeler.
• A4C is collaborating with Dr Amrit Purba to research social media use in children and is proposing that some “Big Tech” tax funds be used for positive online messages. The assistance has helped gain a £1.7 Million social media and young people research grant.
• A4C assisted Baroness Finlay, Lord Watson, and Jess Asato on the call for the abolition of the Physical Punishment of children in England^5,6 (April-June 2025). This call was in partnership with the RCPH and coalition of 14 Medical organisations and received a Ministerial response⁷.
• In May 2025, the organisation assisted Jess Asato MP in a call for the law on pornography to be consistent online and offline.⁸ We presented a letter to government on the Dangers of Extreme Pornographic Online Materials, and in particular a call for such violence especially to girls and women with Jess Asato MP.
• The organisation has also assisted in the raising of the issue of “Lessons 4 Life” with the company 1 Decision. This concluded with a hand in at 10 Downing Street.
• We celebrated the success of Free School Meals for 2027 to be made eligible to pupils with a parent/carer on Universal Credit. A key call in our Good Food for Children² Policy.

• We celebrated the success of our call with Jess Asato MP to the Dangers of Extreme Pornographic Online Materials letter, with the depiction of strangulation in pornography to be banned⁸.
• In August we wrote a letter with Northumbria University and 50+ parliamentarians, calling for a multi-year programme for the Holiday Activities & Food Scheme⁹ to be funded.
• In early September we celebrated the success of the letter with the governments announcement that they would provide a three year package for the Holiday Activities & Food Schemes, funded with £600 Million!
• In September we handed over a letter to government with over 30 MPs & Peers signatures, highlighting that OFCOM¹⁰ lacked sufficient staff and independent evaluation processes to ensure children’s online safety.
• Following this letter and response from Government¹¹ we produced a further letter that was again signed by a large swathe of parliamentarians that indicated OFCOM had a lack of transparency and action placed before policy makers¹², third sector, bereaved parents and the public. We again received a Government response¹³.
• In October, with the University of Northumbria and University of Lincoln we presented an academic paper “Nourishing Britain – The True Cost of School Meals¹⁴“. This was featured as an EXCLUSIVE in the NEW STATESMEN¹⁵ and discussed at the labour Conference.
• After such prominence, we were invited to chair a meeting with other key food stakeholders and with Baroness Walmsley and Sharon Hodgson MP to ask that we jointly submit for a School Food Inquiry.
• We supported the call by Gordon & Sarah Brown for a Gambling Tax to remove the 2 Child Limit.
• We reinvigorated our call for a Junk Food Tax and BIG TECH Tax, handing over to 10 Downing Street our petition of 75 Parliamentarian signatures₁₅, 27,000 public signatures and 200+ organisations calling for such taxes in the Budget (ring-fenced for child health & well-being)¹⁶.
• We worked with Ruth Lister – Peers in the House of Lords on a new call for the 2 Child Limit and Household Benefit cap to be abolished¹⁷. This had over 60 Parliamentary signatures and received great press coverage.
• A further letter supported by evidential pack, was produced by our Social Justice 4 Children Working Group²⁰. This called for full abolishment of the 2-child limit and the Household Benefit Cap. This also gained over 50 parliamentary Signatures.
• We celebrated the success of our POWER 2 PLAY report, recommendations, ITV News, Downing Street visit and event held at the House of Lords, when the government indicated £18 million will be provided for Play, at Playgrounds across the country.
• We met twice in Parliament with recognised political leaders to create a Future Generation agenda. We also worked with Sharon Hodgson MP, to present a possible FG Plan.
• In October and then November 25, we met with bereaved parents, key health and third sector experts in regards the dangers from smartphones, online and the devices in schools. This allowed us to meet and set up a meeting with the Minister of Early Years – Olivia Bailey MP, at the Department for Education.
• Late November 25, we Celebrated the Governments decision to introduce and extended sugar drinks levy, in response to our call for a JUNK FOOD TAX.

 

Upcoming Initiatives:

• The Budget to be announced will give reasons we hope to celebrate.

Parliamentary Engagement: A4C presents most of its work at Parliament and often takes policy recommendations and petitions to Downing Street. The organisation co-chairs the Parliamentary Child Health & Well-being WhatsApp group with Baroness Ruth Lister, which includes over 100 MPs and Peers from all major parties.