“Child poverty in Wales remains unacceptably high. Around one in three children in Wales is growing up in poverty; the highest child poverty rate of any UK nation. This is not an unavoidable reality; it is the result of political choices.
“I am particularly concerned about the rise in deep poverty among children. More children are living in families whose incomes are so low that they cannot afford the basics – food, heating, clothing and other essentials. The evidence shows that deep poverty is growing, and its impact on children’s health, development and wellbeing can be lifelong.
“Children themselves keep telling me what poverty feels like. They tell us they worry about having enough to eat, and schools share stories of children arriving with inadequate packed lunches or shoes with holes stuffed with paper. These are real experiences from children here in Wales today.
“Child poverty is a children’s rights crisis. It undermines children’s rights to safety, education, health, dignity and a decent standard of living. Wales has committed to uphold these rights, but too many children are still being denied them.
“I am clear about the action I expect the next Welsh Government to take. My Manifesto Asks sets out measures that would make a real, measurable difference to children’s lives:
- Introducing a Welsh Child Payment to boost family incomes.
- Extending universal free school meals to secondary pupils.
- Ensuring families can easily access all Welsh benefits, including automatic enrolment.
- Expanding Food & Fun holiday provision to reach children in deepest need.
“Wales must also have a child poverty plan that sets out clear actions and measurable outcomes. Current approaches do not match the scale of the challenge. We need a strategy that delivers real change and holds government to account for reducing child poverty.
“Child poverty is neither natural nor inevitable; it is preventable. We have the evidence, we have the tools, and we have a moral obligation to act. I am calling on the next Welsh Government to make bold, ambitious commitments so every child in Wales can grow up with dignity, security and hope.”