Biography
Baroness Benjamin has engaged on children's health and wellbeing primarily through debate speeches, with a particular focus on child safety, protection, and mental health across multiple bills. Her contributions have addressed physical punishment of children, child neglect, social media access for under-16s, and AI chatbot risks to children's emotional wellbeing. She has also raised maternity and neonatal health concerns, specifically regarding sickle cell support in NHS maternity units and disparities in maternal mortality rates among Black and Asian women.
Generated from their own Hansard record, below
“…It is as if their well-being and mental health are not important. I can hear the AI developers thinking among themselves: “Who cares? It’s only children”. Well, we should care.”
Record by topic
- Mental health290th of 88012.0
- Maternity & neonatal138th of 4386.0
- Children's health131st of 1572.0
- Health inequalities245th of 2882.0
- Rare diseases170th of 2022.0
- NHS waiting lists467th of 5342.0
What they’ve said
“…e and warnings did not spread far enough and we are now facing a crisis, an epidemic of children suffering from mental health issues, depression, isolation, bullying, blackmail and intimidation—the frightening list goes on and on— because of their exposure to the dark side of social media.”
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill · 2026-01-21 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…We already know that physical punishment can cause significant harm to a child, including poorer mental health and increased behavioural problems, as the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, has said. Any child who is physically punished is also at greater risk of even more serious abuse, which can be devastating.”
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill · 2026-01-14 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…Barnardo’s—I declare an interest as vice-president—estimates that 55,000 children and adults are currently on waiting lists for support for child sexual abuse. Alongside this, 23 specialist services have closed in the last 18 months, with only 363 remaining.”
Victims and Courts Bill · 2025-12-16 · Read on Hansard ↗
“My Lords, overnight in Jamaica, hospitals have been destroyed and need medical supplies and temporary clinics now to treat existing patients and those injured by the hurricane. Thousands of homes have been flattened and residents are now sleeping in their cars. I had a call just this morning telling me this.”
Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa · 2025-10-29 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…I know that the thousands of people who are hoping for change in the definition of stillbirth are most grateful. This debate means more than words can convey. Let me begin by asking a deeply personal and profoundly painful question: how many among us have experienced the heartbreak of losing a baby during pregnancy? I…”
Still-Birth (Definition) Bill [HL] · 2025-07-04 · Read on Hansard ↗
Contributions reproduced under the Open Parliament Licence.