Dream big

Our keynote sessions bring together powerful voices from across the UK who are leading transformational work for children and families. You’ll hear inspiring stories, enjoy youth‑led creative performances, and join thought‑provoking panels including the Child Lens Investment discussion and the Young People’s Commission. 

Come back in May to see the full line up.

Young people will be getting hands‑on in our Campaign Lab, where we explore how South Yorkshire’s young people can build momentum for change. These sessions are practical, energising and collaborative — a space to shape ideas, test approaches and connect with others who care about making a difference. 

Our Policy Labs create space for deeper, more focused conversations on some of the issues that matter most for children across South Yorkshire: 

Families Locked Out: Immigration Policy, NRPF and Child Poverty in South Yorkshire  
This session brings together leading researchers, a local MP, regional decision-makers and a person with lived experience to examine how immigration policy and the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition drive child poverty among some of the most vulnerable families in South Yorkshire. The session is research-led and evidence-rich, but oriented throughout towards practical action: what South Yorkshire can do regionally and locally, and what must be advocated for nationally.  
Families affected by NRPF and precarious immigration status are likely not to benefit from many measures introduced in the national Child Poverty Strategy. For that reason, this session makes the case that South Yorkshire's Child Poverty Action Plan must explicitly reach them.  

Home Is Not Temporary: Children in Temporary Accommodation  
This session will centre on the impact of temporary accommodation on young children (0-5) and their families, linking housing quality directly to early years development, health outcomes and the wider consequences for children and families living in poverty in temporary accommodation in South Yorkshire. It is designed to raise awareness, showcase what is working regionally, and foster solutions-oriented discussion leading to clear, actionable commitments for the South Yorkshire Child Poverty Action Plan concerning housing.  
It begins with an immersive, awareness-raising experience before moving into a focused panel where speakers are asked not simply to describe the problem, but to propose what must change and how – regionally and nationally.  

Led by Lived Experience: Improving Childcare Access in South Yorkshire  
This session puts parents at the centre, not as participants in someone else's conversation, but as the people who design and lead it. It is fully co-produced with parents from Save the Children UK's Meadows and Darnall nurseries in Sheffield, whose direct experience of childcare barriers in South Yorkshire shapes every aspect of the session's structure and content.  
The format is a rotating table discussion. Parents lead. Other stakeholders – decision-makers, the voluntary and community sector, employers and early years professionals –rotate between tables, listening, problem-solving, and shaping change through co-production. Parents feedback life on viability of proposed measures. The session closes with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority reflecting on what resonated and what ideas are worth exploring for the region (ideally, what it and others in the room can act on).  
Guided by lived experience and grounded in local realities, these sessions help us explore what the region can influence, where we need national change, and how partners can work together. Insights from the labs will directly inform the South Yorkshire Child Poverty Action Plan. 

Step into an immersive creative installation designed with young people from across the region. Showcasing the stories of young people from across South Yorkshire, the Dreamscape invites you to explore hopes, challenges and visions for a fairer future — all brought to life through art, storytelling and imagination. 

We’ll be sharing a relaxed, family‑style lunch designed to bring people together. Expect simple, welcoming food and plenty of opportunities to chat, connect and recharge throughout the day. 

Come back in May to check out our menu, but for now, please do let us know any dietary requirements here. 

This year’s Summit takes place across two vibrant Doncaster locations: the historic Corn Exchange and the lively Wool Market. Both venues are easy to access and offer plenty of space for conversation, creativity and collaboration.

Doncaster Corn Exchange
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN1 1LQ 

We want to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all attendees on the day and supporting everyone to travel safely to and from the Summit.  

Please let us know here if you have any accessibility needs that you would like us to be aware of and how we can best support you on the day. 

If you have any concerns about the costs of attending, please contact Sarah Godfrey, Save the Children – [email protected]

Transport and parking:  
An accessibility guide to the venue can be found here. 
There is a car park for public use within 200m (approx). The name of the car park is Market Car Park, located on Scot Lane. 
On street marked Blue Badge bays are not available. 
Please follow the postcode for DN1 1LQ. Accessible via the A630. 

Numerous bus routes stop nearby, and Doncaster train station is a short walk away.