A VAST majority of children believe their needs are not focused on by politicians when making decisions, a survey has found.

Only one in nine children thought so, while 57 per cent of young people aged between eight and 17 feel that representatives rarely or never listen to their opinions.

February’s survey of 2,000 young people aged between eight and 17 in England and Wales also suggested that safety and mental health are the most important issues affecting young people.