Cardiff seeks re-accreditation as UNICEF UK Child Friendly City

Cardiff Council has begun the process of seeking re-accreditation as a UNICEF UK Child Friendly City, in line with its commitment to placing children’s rights at the centre of decision-making across the capital.

Cardiff became the UK’s first city to receive the designation in November 2023, following five years of work to embed children’s rights across council services, schools and partner organisations.

The status is awarded for a fixed three-year period, meaning the city must now undergo an independent reassessment in 2026 to retain the title.

As part of the process, the council has submitted a detailed evidence package to UNICEF UK outlining the progress made since accreditation and the impact of its work with children and young people.

The submission highlights developments across four priority areas: children’s rights education, participation, place and equality and inclusion.

Council officials say the evidence demonstrates how children’s rights are increasingly embedded in day-to-day decision-making. More than 80% of maintained schools in Cardiff are now involved in the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award, while children and young people are regularly involved in shaping policies, strategies and services that affect their lives.

Children’s rights training has also been integrated into workforce development programmes, with the aim of ensuring that council staff across departments consider the needs and voices of babies, children and young people when making decisions.

A key element of the re-accreditation process is a Youth Report produced by a “Committee of Experts” made up of children and young people from across the city. Their assessment recognises the progress made since 2023 while also highlighting areas where the council needs to deliver more consistent and visible change.

Submission

The Youth Report will form part of a broader submission to UNICEF UK that also includes a “Story of Change”, a summary of evidence and a refreshed Child Friendly Cardiff Sustainability Plan covering the period 2026 to 2029.

The updated plan focuses on strengthening existing work rather than introducing entirely new initiatives. Priorities include expanding meaningful participation so children can see how their views lead to action, embedding children’s rights more consistently in planning and transport policies, and improving opportunities for play and child-friendly public spaces.

The council also aims to continue tackling inequality through inclusive education, gender equality and improved access to services.

Councillor Sarah Merry, Cardiff Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, said the re-accreditation process was an opportunity to demonstrate that the city’s commitment to children’s rights is ongoing.

“Becoming the UK’s first UNICEF Child Friendly City was a proud moment for Cardiff, but it was never the end of the journey,” she said.

“Children and young people have been clear about what is working and where we still need to do better, and their voices are central to this process.”

Scrutiny

The council’s Cabinet is due to consider the re-accreditation submission and sustainability plan on 19 March, following scrutiny by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on 10 March.

UNICEF UK will carry out an independent assessment during 2026, including a site visit. If successful, Cardiff will retain its Child Friendly City status for a further three years.