About this application 
 
The Children’s Commissioner for England is Dame Rachel de Souza. Her role is a statutory position created by the Children Act 2004. The purpose of her role is to promote and protect children’s rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.  

Ofcom is the regulator for communications in the UK. One of their responsibilities is to make sure online sites and apps are safe, especially for children. That means ensuring that children are not seeing things that they shouldn’t when they go online.


Now, Ofcom is working with the Children’s Commissioner to set up an advisory group of children! We are looking for a group of up to 15 young people aged 13 to 18 who have an interest in online safety and the online world. We would like to hear from you about what you think needs to happen to make the online world safer for children! 

As part of the Ofcom Advisory Group you will: 

- Have an introductory in person meeting in London
- Meet on a six weekly basis until January 2027 with the other young people on the advisory group
- Four meetings will be in person, the others online
- Share your views with Ofcom on what is happening online for children and what needs to change. 

How to apply 
 
Applicants should: 

  • live in England  
  • be 13 to 18 years old. 

 
In this application form: 

  • We will ask you to tell us a little bit about yourself including some questions about who you are, what you’re passionate about, what you think are the biggest issues facing young people online today, and what change you think is most important to improve the lives of children in England.  
  • You will be asked to share a short video and two written answers. You can look through the questions first and come back to finish your application later. 
  • You can download the questions here so you can take a look before starting your applications. 
  • You can spend as much time as you need on the application but we think it should take around 15-20 minutes to complete, plus the time to record a short video. 
  • Once you have completed the form, you will be able to print or download a copy of your answers for your records. You will be prompted to do this at the end of the form. 
  • We want everyone to be able to apply, if you require any help or special arrangements during this application process or if you are selected for the programme please let us know by contacting us at youth.voices@childrenscommissioner.gov.uk. This will not impact our decision making. 
  • We are looking for a wide variety of people to be part of the advisory group, however we particularly welcome applications from young people with lived experience of the care or health system, those with a disability or additional learning need and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  


Please complete this application form by 23:59 on Sunday 26th October 2025. 

Next steps

  • You will be updated on the progress of your application by mid November. If we receive a high volume of applicants, we may ask you to meet with a member of the team to further discuss your application in a short informal interview. 
  • The office is unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications. 
  • The Ofcom Advisory Group is undertaken on a voluntary, unpaid basis, and you will not be considered as an employee of the Children’s Commissioner’s office at any time. However, we will cover your expenses, including travel for the duration of the programme. 

 
Please see our privacy policy for how the Children’s Commissioner manages sensitive data. 
 
If you need this application in an alternative format, or have any other questions about this opportunity or how to complete the form, please contact us at youth.voices@childrenscommissioner.gov.uk.