A family friendly Senedd

Joyce Watson MS

The Family-Friendly and Inclusive Parliament Review was launched in July 2025 to review the Senedd’s culture, ways of working and facilities.

When Wales voted for devolution back in 1998, we set out to build something different: a Parliament with inclusivity at its heart.

A Senedd that looked like the nation it served — and worked in a way that allowed every voice to be heard.

More than 25 years later, much of that early ambition has taken root.

On 7 May 2026, voters will head to the polls to vote in the seventh Senedd election since devolution in 1999.

We are preparing for the biggest change in the institution’s history — an expansion to 96 members in 2026 — now is the time to build on our strengths, not assume they’re guaranteed.

That’s why the timing of this review is critical. Decisions about business structures and working practices will be made over the next few months that will determine what kind of a parliament the Senedd will be in the future.

This is a crucial moment to shape our parliamentary culture, which in turn should strengthen our scrutiny of equality issues on behalf of the people of Wales.

It’s the most extensive look yet at how the Senedd supports its Members to effectively support their constituents and represent the people of Wales, and how it can remain a modern, forward-looking democracy for the next generation.

Proud record

The Senedd is celebrated as a global leader in women’s representation – representation has never been below 40% and we were the first legislature in the world to have a 50:50 split between men and women in 2003.

The Senedd has demonstrated its commitment to inclusive working practices, from proxy voting for parental leave and caring allowances for Members, and hybrid working.

Wales has pioneered progressive legislation, from the Well-being of Future Generations Act to groundbreaking work on equalities and social justice. And our Senedd has developed a culture that, at its best, encourages listening, collaboration and respect.

Election

But with an election on the horizon, we want to make sure that our parliament has institutionalised ways of working that promote and advance equality, rather than relying on discretionary practices and individual champions to lead change.

Members consistently expressed pride in serving Wales and in the Senedd’s core values. Many told us that committee work, cross-party collaboration and engagement with communities are among the best parts of the job.

But progress is never automatic. Beyond gender, diversity remains limited. Some committees still fall into traditional patterns of representation. Work–life balance pressures — particularly unpredictable plenary hours — risk shutting out the people modern Wales needs in its Parliament.

And this is what lies at the heart of our recommendations, and the continuation of an independent board to hold future Seneddau to account for their progress.

By making the role of a Member of Senedd as accessible and appealing as possible; by taking steps to prevent them having to choose between their responsibilities to their families and constituents; we hope to attract a greater array of people who bring with them lived-experiences that allow our Parliament to better debate, challenge, question and shape decisions not only on equality matters, but the decisions that affect everyone.

Building on what works — and fixing what holds us back

Many of our review’s recommendations reflect the fact that the Senedd is already a pioneer in family-friendly and inclusive working good practice — but it could be truly world leading.

Our recommendations include:

*The Senedd should commit to the principle of being an accessible, inclusive and family-friendly institution.

*Setting predictable plenary end times so Members with caring responsibilities can plan ahead.

*Actively addressing abuse, which Members tell us is one of the greatest risks to democracy and political participation — especially for women and younger people, and establishing a Safe Participation in Politics taskforce.

*Strengthening equalities and mainstreaming work in our institution, including mandating a dedicated Equalities Committee, a Women’s Caucus and a permanent Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament Implementation Board.

*Collecting demographic data so we can understand representation properly for the first time.

*Guaranteeing balanced committees, avoiding single sex committees and supporting fairer participation.

These aren’t criticisms of the Senedd’s values — they’re practical steps to help the institution live up to them Members experience the same kind of unpredictable life events as anyone else, with families, caring responsibilities and other life commitments, and like all professions, should be supported to undertake their work without abuse and threats.

The Seventh Senedd will face new responsibilities and new expectations.

The question now isn’t whether we value inclusion — it’s whether we’re prepared to take the next steps to make it real.

The work of the review board has been overseen by a cross-party group which comprises: Joyce Watson MS, Chair, Welsh Labour, Peter Fox MS, Welsh Conservatives, Jane Dodds MS, Welsh Liberal Democrats, Siân Gwenllian MS, Plaid Cymru and Mike Hedges MS, Welsh Labour.

Academics from Cardiff University, Dr Alison Parken OBE, Dr Rachel Minto and Dr Leah Hibbs, have gathered the data (including documents, interviews, and surveys), which has informed our report and recommendations.

The Review Board’s report will be discussed in plenary on Wednesday afternoon (March 11).