BBC Children's digital-first commissioning

We’re committed to reaching the UK’s children wherever they’re watching content, so for the first time we’re commissioning ‘digital first’ titles specifically created for online platforms that will help deepen our connection with audiences and ensure we can bring our trusted and inclusive home grown content to them in the places that they love to be.

Whilst there are many brilliant digital platforms, our initial focus to reach kids will be YouTube, as we know so much of their viewing takes place there.

Because this content is not designed for linear channels, durations can be shorter or bespoke to suit the nature of the programme and platform rather than a schedule, and volumes should be high enough to reflect the need to ‘feed the algorithm’, for today’s viewers to best discover our work.

We recommend that anyone interested in developing Children’s content for digital platforms watch a recording of our 2026 BBC Children’s briefing which had two sessions about YouTube: ‘YouTube Commissioning’ at 1 hour 54 mins and ‘Creators’ Panel’ at 2 hour 15 mins.

Development priorities for 2026/27

Ages 7-12

We are particularly interested in ideas for factual, entertainment and comedy series with episode durations of up to fifteen minutes.

When developing an idea for us think about the time of day as well as the device that young people are watching on. What makes successful content feel authentic to that platform and need? Ofcom’s 2025 Media Nations report (pdf)may provide further insight. 

We need ideas that will perform well and drive discoverability on YouTube, so think about how they can stand out from the noise - or complement it. Again, the YouTube sessions recorded at our briefing may provide further insight and guidance for this.

The content we commission should always reflect our young viewers back to them as well as challenge them, make them laugh or teach them something new about the world they find themselves in - or ideally all of the above!

Please note, we’re not currently accepting scripted drama, animation or education ideas.

Ages 0-6

We’re not looking at traditional scripted drama, animation or anything overtly-educational or curricular based for the 0-6 audience at this time. Instead, we’re looking for to-camera, interactive moments to encourage our smallest viewers to jump up, join in, play and do.

We want ideas that can introduce them to the world they have recently joined and make them excited to be part of it! A lot of our CBeebies linear content is about showing real kids doing activities, whereas successful YouTube viewing for this age group is more one-on-one, really speaking to the viewer directly. We want viewers to feel part of our CBeebies world and be invited into it, first-person.

We know this audience love an older figure to speak to them, to learn from and to laugh and play with, so think about how that may impact your idea for on-screen presenters.

How to send us ideas

Ideas must be submitted to us via the PiCoS submission system but please email us first with a short outline of the concept with (where applicable) character descriptions, locations and sample storylines and any visual materials you already have so we can avoid wasting your time if the idea doesn’t fit our current needs.

For more information about how to submit ideas via PiCoS see the How we work page.

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