Hung parliament likely to benefit young people

With the nation due to go to the polls on Thursday, speculation that no one party will gain an overall majority has resulted in talk of the possibility of a coalition government.

Terri Dowty, director of Action on Rights for Children, said: "The Liberal Democrats are thoughtful on children's policies and if they are fairly flexible, not aligning themselves to any one party, you could end up with the best of Tory and Labour policies," she said.

Tim Nichols, of the Child Poverty Action Group, said all the main parties are committed to ending child poverty by 2020.

"There is the potential for it to be positive if the parties see it as an opportunity to hold each other to the promises they made," he said.

Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's, cautioned that a hung parliament would throw up new challenges for the sector, but said his charity can draw upon the experience of working with the devolved assemblies and the Scottish Parliament.

"Our working relationships with each of the main parties will be even more important in a hung parliament to reduce the potential for delays in parties agreeing on policies and legislation for children and families," he said.