Wales
200,000 children live in poverty in Wales. Living in poverty dramatically affects a child’s life chances. Poorer children can expect fewer qualifications, lower-paid jobs and shorter lives than their richer classmates. No child should be born without a chance.(Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg)
The challenge
One-third of children in Wales are affected by poverty, going without essentials or living in homes which are cold or damp.
Nearly 15% live in severe poverty — the highest proportion of any UK nation.
In the valleys and other parts of Wales where industry and manufacturing have shut down, poverty is deep and longstanding.
Now new job and budget cuts pose an even greater threat to children's wellbeing.
Given this, will the Welsh government be able to fulfil its ambitious commitment to ending child poverty? The legislation is in place, but now is the time to translate this commitment into action.
Our achievements: UN Convention
We are proud that we’ve helped bring about a hugely important piece of legislation.
After years of work by us and the Wales United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Monitoring Group, Welsh ministers are now legally bound to have due regard for the rights and obligations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
From now on, the convention is part of domestic law, and this means that any decision made by the Welsh government has to show how it affects children’s rights.
Our achievements: FAST
A poor start in school can set children back for the rest of their lives. In 2010 we launched Families and Schools Together (FAST), an eight-week rapid-intervention programme in schools in some of the poorest communities in Wales.
And it works!
In our first two pilots in Caerphilly, we found that children were better behaved, performed better academically, and had better relationships at home.
Parents said they were more confident about helping their children in school. And we’ve helped young people and children propose their own solutions to poverty.
Eat, Sleep, Learn, Play!
The Eat, Sleep, Learn, Play! programme is our crisis grant scheme which responds to families with young children where there is a severe material need in the home.
It directly provides families with household essentials, such as children’s beds, cookers or educational books and toys.
Families also receive an entitlement check to ensure they're receiving all the welfare benefits they're entitled to.
This scheme is currently available in Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Blaenau Gwent. Applications for the grant can only be made by referral partners who have been briefed by Save the Children.
For further information, please contact Rachel Wrathall, Eat, Sleep, Learn, Play! Programme Officer on 029 20 396838 or r.wrathall@savethechildren.org.uk
What’s urgent now
On paper, the Children and Families (Wales) Measure will ensure that all public bodies develop strategies and action plans on child poverty.
Through our project Child Poverty Solutions we’re helping the public sector implement this vital piece of legislation.
Our Participation Unit — which we host on behalf of the Children and Young People's Participation Consortium for Wales — has ensured that children and young people’s participation is an integral part of the Children and Families Measure.
By exercising their right to participation, the poorest children and young people will have greater access to services and will have a say in how those services can better meet their needs.
Find out more
- Visit the Children's Rights in Wales website
- Visit the Child Poverty Solutions website — designed to help people working across the public sector in Wales to develop local responses to reducing child poverty.
Contact us
Wales Programme
3rd Floor,
Phoenix House
8 Cathedral Road,
CARDIFF
CF11 9LJ
Tel: 029 20 345224
Fax: 029 2022 7797
Email: walesinfo@savethechildren.org.uk
Community Fundraising
At the above address
Tel: 029 2039 6838
Fax: 029 2022 7797
Email:j.evans@savethechildren.org.uk