In the light of the continual decline statistically in the numbers of children involved in English parish churches, there is a need for a fresh initiative to reverse this trend.

It may be a truism to assert that the Church of England welcomes all the children of England. Yet the impression has often been otherwise. The adult congregation has often been particularly uncomfortable when small children and their parents are present.

The decline of the Sunday School and kindred organisations in recruiting and keeping children is well known.

The challenge for the Church of England nationally has been made by two reports, Children in the Way from the General Synod Board of Education (General Synod, 1988) and All God's Children? Children's Evangelism in Crisis from the General Synod Board of Education and Board of Mission (General Synod, 1991). 'The baptism statistics have suggested that the Church of England has accepted pastoral and catechetical responsibility for over one‑third of the child population, or some 2,881,000 infants, children and young people under the age of 14'(General Synod 1988, p.88). 'Only 14 per cent of children under 15 years of age are in a church‑related activity on a typical Sunday. That is one of the findings of the 1989 English Church Census,' observes the 1991 Report(p.3). 'Thus it would now appear that some 85 per cent of the children in this country are growing up without experiencing the gospel of Christ mediated through the community of Christ in a nation which has a Christian Church established by law' (General Synod, 1991, p.9).

The approach to English children includes the entire population of children living in England and is inclusive of those whose parents have no membership of any church as well as those who do. This means that the established Church accepts responsibility for the Christian upbringing of every child. For far too long the Church has shuffled off its responsibilities to the State, to parents and to godparents. These are now clearly unequal to the task. The Church must do more than stick to its old traditions which are no longer effective and have proved theologically faulty. Moreover, in a multi‑cultural and multi‑faith population, many a child may become isolated and overlooked by tightly knit religious groups. The Church of England has historically been intended as an open fellowship but is increasingly drawing boundaries more tightly around itself and turning inwardly.

A coherent campaign must be launched nationally and have the backing of the Archbishops' Council, the House of Bishops and the General Synod of the Church of England. Whereas the work of the campaign will inevitably fall on the parishes, clergy and laity will need to know that they have national backing. For every child we need:

* Thanksgiving on arrival into this world

* Christian baptism by the age of 5 years

* Holy Communicant status from baptism

* Christian Confirmation Fellowship from the age of 3 until the age of 16