Wales must put safeguarding children at the heart of next government 

Cecile Gwilym – Policy & Public Affairs Manager, NSPCC Cymru 

Every baby, child and young person in Wales deserves to grow up safe, supported and free from abuse and neglect.

Yet NSPCC Cymru polling paints a picture of a nation concerned about our ability to protect children and is urgently calling for political action.

A YouGov survey of more than 1,000 adults across Wales revealed that almost a third of people (31%) do not believe babies, children and young people are well protected from abuse or neglect.

Worryingly, most respondents felt that even our core public services – those at the front line of safeguarding – are struggling to keep up. Two‑thirds think social services should be doing more, and over half say the same of the police.

These concerns are echoed by young people themselves. Grace, a member of the NSPCC Young People Board for Change, told us: “Babies, children, and young people are the next generation of Wales, it’s important we feel valued and are shown care to go forward in life efficiently.”

Their words underscore what is at stake: safeguarding is not simply a statutory duty, but a commitment to the future wellbeing and life chances of every baby, child or young person in Wales.

For those who believe children are not being fully protected, the message for the next Welsh Government is clear. The majority want to see greater investment in social care (59%), more resources to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse (62%), and stronger help for families before they reach crisis point (60%).

In other words, the people of Wales want a government that places child protection and safeguarding at the centre of its agenda – not as an afterthought, but as a moral imperative.

Recent years have brought devastating reminders of the consequences for babies, children and young people when the social safety net for families fails.

Too many children in Wales have suffered significant harm, including those who have lost their lives to abuse and neglect at the hands of the very people meant to care for them. Each of these tragedies is a stark reminder that our collective efforts must be stronger, more coordinated and more proactive.

Harm

This is why NSPCC Cymru has set out a four‑point plan urging all political parties to commit to safeguarding children in the next Senedd.

Our Protecting Babies, Children and Young People report calls for a programme of investment and reform based on four essential commitments:  transforming children’s social care; supporting babies to have the best start in life; preventing and responding to child sexual abuse; and helping children recover after harm.

These are concrete, necessary actions. They guarantee early help is widely available, so families get support before problems escalate. They give staff in children’s social care the training and resources they need to understand and respond to the complex challenges facing children and families today.

They make sure new and expectant parents struggling with their mental health receive the timely care they need. They support a whole‑community approach to preventing child sexual abuse.

Protection

And crucially, they strengthen multi‑agency working – because protecting children is never the responsibility of one service alone. It requires a system that communicates effectively, shares information swiftly, and consistently hears the voice of the child.

We cannot, and must not, wait for another tragedy to act. Children in Wales need stronger protections.

As we approach the next Senedd term, every political party has a choice. We want to see them choose a commitment to build the robust, well‑resourced safeguarding system that Wales’s babies, children and young people urgently need.

At NSPCC Cymru, our message is simple: we want a government that champions and protects children. With the right ambition and investment, we can create a nation where every baby, child and young person is safe, supported and given the chance to thrive.