Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act Passes into Law

The Children’s Commissioner for England has hailed Royal Assent for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act as a significant milestone for child welfare policy. The new legislation brings together comprehensive reforms spanning safeguarding practices, schools, and wider children’s services, aiming to embed the voice of young people into statutory frameworks and improve outcomes for every child. Drawing upon extensive engagement with over a million children, the Act seeks to ensure that services respond more effectively to what young people say they need to thrive. For local authorities and cabinet members with responsibility for children’s services, the Act signals important changes to statutory duties that will require close attention to implementation guidance, inspection frameworks, and local partnership arrangements as details emerge.