Plaid Cymru calls on Welsh Government to reinstate Child Poverty Action plan as cost of living crisis spirals

Plaid Cymru is calling on the Welsh Government to reinstate a Child Poverty Action plan amid concerns raised by charities.

Latest figures show that around 34% of children in Wales are living in poverty, making it the worst in the UK.

The Welsh Government had targeted to eradicate child poverty by 2020, but this plan was scrapped in 2016.

Poverty levels in Wales are expected to increase further due to the cost of living crisis with lower income families hit hardest.

Plaid Cymru has criticised the Welsh Government for having no set targets in place to address and eradicate Child Poverty.

Concerns

Concerns have been raised about the lack of plan by several different agencies and charities, including the newly appointed Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, who has said:

“Wales is currently the worst part of the UK for child poverty and we are also experiencing the worst child poverty in a number of decades.

“Without targets it’s very difficult for me to do my job and hold the Welsh government to account and really see how well they are doing or how poorly we are doing.

“Setting clear and ambitious targets is just part of the solution and I am calling for this in order to help do my job, and in order to help children and young people come out of the dire situation they find themselves in at the moment.”

Vulnerable

Speaking ahead of the debate set to take place later today, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on Social Justice and Equalities, Sioned Williams MS said the current cost of living crisis in Wales is exacerbated child poverty levels making Welsh families vulnerable.

Sioned Williams said: “Along with many anti-poverty campaigners across Wales, the Children’s Commissioner and the Wales Audit Office, Plaid Cymru is clear that we need a new strategy with targets to ensure that the urgent work needed to eradicate the stain of child poverty is effective.

“Plaid Cymru has raised this time and again in the Senedd, and it’s completely disheartening that we’re having to debate it once again. We are glad that through our co-operation agreement with Welsh Government that crucial steps such as universal free school meals in primary schools are now being delivered, but there is so much more that needs to be done.

“A strategy with targets will drive that work across government and ensure the focus and determination needed to end child poverty.”