“Burnham pledges 'big changes' to welfare system as children's commissioner reveals 'stagge” — what this page in the network covers. Andy Burnham has promised sweeping reforms to the welfare system to tackle the growing number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet), as children's commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza publishes a damning report on the 'staggering' inequalities facing children across England. In The Childhood Lottery, de Souza analyses over 160 datasets to expose stark postcode disparities: some local authorities spend nothing on youth services per teenager, while others invest £421; nearly 90% of looked-after children in some areas are sent to out-of-area placements, severing family ties.
Over one million children had active referrals to mental health services in 2024-25, underscoring the scale of the crisis. Burnham, writing in The Times, blames politicians for stripping away youth services, cutting mental health support, and leaving families to fight alone for special educational needs provision. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.