How we're making it happen
Launched a Child Poverty Action Plan, endorsed by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which will help tens of thousands of children and families in the West. The plan sets out four key priorities: cutting living costs, supporting children’s development, improving access to opportunities and services, and pioneering new approaches for tackling child poverty.
Image credit: Adam Gasson
Reduced transport barriers for young people by providing £45,000 worth of free bus travel across the West for under-21s taking part in the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer.
Supported the roll-out of Think Equal across selected early years settings in Bath and North East Somerset. This is helping to strengthen children's social and emotional development, prepare them for school and give every child the best possible start in life.
Made it easier for parents and carers across the region to find and compare childcare options. Working with government, we launched the pilot of the Find a Provider childcare search tool in our region in May 2026. The tool shows all providers in the local area, along with essential details such as contact details, opening hours and Ofsted ratings.
Image credit: Adam Gasson
Started work on a landmark food and essentials distribution hub with Bristol Charities and FareShare South West. The first of its kind in the UK, the hub will bring together storage, coordination and redistribution of essential items - from food and household goods to clothing, furniture, technology and school supplies to help families across the West.
Set up a Digital Inclusion Network with all four West of England councils to tackle digital exclusion. Together we’re making it easier for people to get online, access to reliable and affordable connectivity and build the digital skills they need.
Focus on: Kids Go Free
We know the school holidays can be an expensive time for families, with the cost of travel often adding financial strain and limiting opportunities and experiences for young people, particularly those in lower income areas.
Launched in summer 2025, Kids Go Free is helping children and families of all circumstances make the most of what the West of England has to offer thanks to free bus travel for under 16s during school holidays.
Following its initial success, the scheme returned for the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays in 2025 and 2026, and has now been extended until at least 2029.
In the past year alone, Kids Go Free has enabled over 1.27 million free bus journeys by young people across the region, saving parents and carers more than £1.27m.
The scheme has seen more residents choose the bus, helping more families access leisure, education and social opportunities.
The most significant benefits can be seen in lower-income communities - with bus journeys taken by young people rising by as much as 98% in the 2025 summer holidays.
Demand has grown even further, with early summer 2026 data showing record weekly numbers.
The success of Kids Go Free has also influenced national policy. Following the impact of the scheme in the West of England, the government announced a £100m national rollout, enabling children across England to travel free on local bus services throughout August 2026.
