In October 2025, having called for it for some time, I welcomed Welsh Government’s announcement that it would commission an independent review into safeguarding governance arrangements in Wales. I also welcomed the opportunity to speak with it’s author Jan Pickles OBE earlier this year and to contribute to the review. This week saw the publication of the report which includes the review’s findings and recommendations, as part of a statement made by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health on her safeguarding priorities. Some of the recommendations include establishing a Ministerial Safeguarding Oversight Board, establish a central Intelligence Hub, producing a National Safeguarding Plan with national priorities and outcomes, and a bolstered National Independent Safeguarding Board.
Although I welcome the review’s recommendations in principle, more detail is needed about how these recommendations will be implemented and the timeframe within which they will be implemented. More information is also needed about how much independence there is to be in the oversight and scrutiny of progress made against priorities. A National Safeguarding Plan must also account for the particular risks faced by babies, children and young people, so I look forward to working with Welsh Government to ensure that this is realised and that children and young people’s voices inform the plan.
In addition to the review, the Deputy Minister also announced that these changes would “create the foundations for future consultation on proposals for an Adult and Child Protection Authority for Wales and mandatory reporting of abuse and neglect”. I have called for the establishment of a Child Protection Authority since its recommendation by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, so this is a welcome development.
In the meantime, stakeholders must be supported to implement these changes whilst continuing with the crucial work of safeguarding babies, children and young people.
Read the full report here: Strengthening Safeguarding Governance Review in wales