Families unite to oppose the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Standing up for our children: Families march against dangerous education bill
On Sunday 18th May, the March for Children brought together families, educators, campaigners, and allies from all walks of life in a powerful show of unity. Starting in Whitehall and moving through Trafalgar Square and along the Embankment, the march ended in Parliament Square with heartfelt speeches and a shared commitment to protecting children's rights. The crowd was diverse—home educating parents, children, SEND advocates, faith leaders, and children's rights campaigners—all standing together to oppose the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, a piece of legislation many believe crosses a dangerous line.
This bill, sold as a safeguarding measure, will do far more harm than good. Instead of supporting children, it adds yet another layer of bureaucracy to already overstretched schools and families. It strips away autonomy, undermines educational diversity, and places disproportionate pressure on parents—particularly those who home educate. Home educators aren’t reacting out of fear, but out of lived experience. They’ve seen how often the state fails to recognise or meet children’s individual needs. Under this bill, committed parents risk being criminalised for failing to meet complex, unrealistic requirements. That’s not safeguarding—it’s state overreach.
Education lawyer Michael Charles, who has spent more than three decades working in this field, shared his deep concern about the proposed bill. He described it as unlike anything he’s seen in all his years of practice.
“When you’re reading policy behind a desk, it can seem persuasive. But you don’t see the faces of the families affected. You don’t see the fear in the eyes of children. This bill, if it becomes law, will do real harm. It’s not just about home education. It risks the rights of parents, the safety of children with additional needs, and even the freedom of women trapped in abusive situations. Choosing between staying silent or losing your children—that’s no choice at all.”
Michael added that if he were in government, he would be asking serious questions: “Is this responsible legislation? When I called this a dangerous bill, 1.5 million people saw that post. That tells you something. This isn’t about child protection. This is about stripping away rights that so many have fought for, and if it goes through, children’s lives will be put at risk.”
We’ve probably all seen the Department for Education’s social media campaign—those dramatic, misleading posts warning that children who miss school are headed for a life of failure. The messaging is bad enough, but the fact that they spent £90.7 million of public money on advertising and media services to push it? That’s enraging. Imagine if that funding had gone into actually addressing what’s wrong in education. If our system is as “world-class” as claimed, why does it need a glossy PR campaign to sell it?
Government strategy is increasingly clear: control the narrative, control the people. Cost of living is through the roof. Sure Start centres are gone. Investment in family life and meaningful support? Nowhere to be seen. But there’s plenty of funding for breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, and schemes designed to keep children in institutional settings from an increasingly young age, and for extended hours. It’s no wonder so many families feel like the system is designed to separate them.
Meanwhile, children are struggling—and we’re seeing the impact daily. School behaviour policies have become increasingly harsh and dehumanising. Children are being taught early on that their voices, needs, and autonomy don’t matter. The message is clear: compliance is more important than critical thinking, curiosity, or wellbeing.
Arts and creative subjects are being squeezed out. Practical learning in engineering and design is rarely prioritised. The pressure of the 9–1 GCSE system is crushing young people under expectations that lack relevance. There’s little space for alternative pathways like home education, and families face growing restrictions—whether through attendance fines, VAT on independent schools, or limits on taking a family holiday or a much-needed mental health day. It’s no surprise that children are unhappy. And unhappy children often hurt each other—bullying and conflict thrive where wellbeing is neglected.
This bill isn’t about children’s wellbeing. It’s about control.
The March for Children showed what happens when people are given a platform: they rise. They speak. And they stand together. We saw parents, carers, teachers and young people unite with clarity and courage. Their message? Trust parents. Listen to families. Scrap this bill.
Child wellbeing is already in crisis. And instead of addressing the root causes, this government is doubling down on the very systems creating harm. Most people are too stretched to fight back—not through apathy, but exhaustion. And that’s no accident. But if we make space to resist, if we reclaim our power and act together, we can stop this bill and protect the future of our children.
Because real wellbeing starts with trust, respect, and support—not surveillance, punishment, and control.
What can you do next about the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill?
Whether this bill affects you directly or not, it’s important we stand together whenever basic rights are under threat. If we stay silent when others' freedoms are at risk, we open the door to losing our own.
Many of us know families who would be affected by this legislation—if not now, then potentially in the future. That’s why it’s essential to take time to understand what’s at stake. This bill, if passed, could set a dangerous precedent, making it easier for more restrictive laws to follow.
We understand that life is busy and legal language can feel overwhelming. That’s why campaigners like Jenn Hodge at Doing Education Differently have broken the information down into clear, accessible guidance:
🔗 https://doingeducationdifferently.co.uk/take_part
The Home Ed Daily has a detailed overview of the bill and many other articles:
🔗 https://www.thehomeeddaily.co.uk/article/2025/02/17/whats-wrong-children-s-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-overview-key-issues
How you can take action today:
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Share this information with as many people as you can—friends, family, colleagues, and your wider community. Use social media to spread the word and start conversations. Tag MPs and use campaign hashtags to help posts reach further.
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Sign the petitions and open letters listed here:
🔗 https://www.thehomeeddaily.co.uk/article/2025/05/07/petitions-against-childrens-wellbeing-schools-bill
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Amplify voices in Parliament. Retweet Lord Wei’s posts on X and tag Labour leaders, MPs, and Lords. As a member of the House of Lords and a home-educating parent, Lord Wei is standing up for families and pushing back against the bill.
🔗 https://x.com/NatWei?t=76mxw2OL4ltJRO7lq3-Oig&s=09
📄 Full speech from 1 May 2025: https://www.natwei.com/2025/05/01/regarding-the-childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill/
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Share Simon Squibb’s powerful post. Simon is a home-educating parent and entrepreneur with a large following. His voice can help amplify this issue to a wider audience:
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16MrVHLx1j/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJtK-IINukd/
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Follow legal experts like Michael Charles, an education and human rights solicitor who is speaking out about the harmful impact of this bill.
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/share/1EfEFEp56n/
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Write to your MP. Tell them how this bill could affect your family and community.
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Stay informed and get involved. Follow the Stop the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill campaign page for updates and ideas for further action:
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/share/1VppCucTmL/
📅 Upcoming Protests
29th June 1pm to 4pm: Wales - protest march outside the Senedd and then a demonstration rally with speakers. Event details.
13th July: Multi city protests. The protest details will be published on Facebook when finalised.
Stand alongside countless others who oppose this bill and what would be the greatest overreach and erosion of parental rights in the 150-year history of the Education Act.
Let’s show the government that families will not stand by in silence.
Were you unable to attend the ‘March for Children’ London protest in May?
A government source dismissed the protest as “sparsely attended”—but we know thousands stand against this bill. If you support the protest but couldn’t be there, you can still add your name to this petition to show your support:
Every voice matters. Together, we can speak up for children, families, and freedom.
Photo credits: Stop the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, Anne Sutton, Lauren Rebecca, Michelle Zaher.
