Raising the Nation

How to Build a Better Future for Our Children (and Everyone Else)

By: Paul Lindley

Narrated by: Richard Pryal, Ali Vowles, Lissa Berry, Quentin Cooper, Lisa Coleman, Caroline Lennon, Richard Lyddon, Yasmin Mwanza, Dorothea Sawsczuk, Kelly Burke, Steph Bower

Children today grow up in an increasingly volatile, complex and uncertain world. Theirs is a generation disempowered from steering their lives while society’s systems are failing to provide the support they need. Yet, a country only prospers when its children—from all walks of life—thrive, meaning that the United Kingdom now faces some consequential choices. Raising the Nation builds a compelling case showing why we must nurture smart, strong and kind children to one day inherit the stewardship of society. Setting out big public policy ideas, enhanced by contributions from academic and campaigning experts, as well as those with lived experience, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, singer and activist Charlotte Church, and ex-prime minister of Denmark and former CEO of Save the Children International Helle Thorning-Schmidt, this book is a manifesto to deliver our brightest possible future. Reframing political success, it shows why we must prioritise child-centred policies to ensure the future strength of our communities, environment and economy.

©2023 Paul Lindley (P)2024 Policy Press

Critic reviews

“The right book at the right time…. full of fresh ideas. It should be required reading for all policy-makers in national and local government.” Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester

"I love Paul’s entrepreneurial approach to re-imagining how to build a better future. He’s created an evidence-led, story-centred, whole system vision that’s packed with ideas and opportunities that policy makers, parents, young people entrepreneurs and anyone who care about our future should seriously embrace!" Ella Goldner, Co- Founder and General Manager, Zinc

"A powerful and inspiring account of why and how we can make this the best country for children to grow up in. A must-read for policy-makers of all political parties." Claire Ainsley, Director of the Center-Left Renewal project at the Progressive Policy Institute and former Labour Party Executive Director. of Policy

"A clarion call to make tomorrow much better for our children, offering evidence, ideas and practical steps that need to be taken urgently. Politicians of all stripes should have this book and the actions on top of their to-do list!" Professor Sir Michael Marmot CH, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity and author of The Health Gap