Whatever the outcome, this election must mark a turning point for babies, children and young people across Wales.

Sarah Crawley, Director Barnardo’s Cymru

This 2026 Senedd election must – whatever the outcome – mark a turning point for babies, children and young people across Wales.

Understandably, much of the focus over the next few days will be on the winners and losers from this election. But for the children and families we support at Barnardo’s Cymru, it doesn’t matter to them which parties take which seats – it only matters what those elected officials choose to do next.

For children and young people growing up across Wales, a new Senedd term marks a new opportunity.

The statistics are clear. 32% of children in Wales are growing up in poverty, a figure that has remained stubbornly high over the past decade.

Behind that statistic are thousands of children going without food or heating, families living under relentless pressure and young people facing a life of disadvantage through no fault of their own.

At Barnardo’s, we’re also seeing children facing increasingly complex challenges – from the long shadow of the pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis, and growing pressures on mental health. Childhood in Wales today is being shaped by forces beyond any one family’s control.

The political landscape in Wales may be shifting. But regardless of the outcome, the priorities for children should not be negotiable.

Looking after the interests of babies, children and young people must be a shared, cross-party commitment. Not an issue that rises and falls depending on who holds power, but a common cause that unites all those elected to serve.

Because children do not experience politics in party terms. They experience it through whether they have enough to eat, whether they feel safe, whether they can access support when they need it, and whether they are given a fair chance to thrive.

Too often, children have been overlooked or undervalued in political decision-making. Yet, despite everything, the young people we support remain hopeful. They are clear about what they want: to be listened to, to be taken seriously, and to see real change in the issues that affect their lives.

That starts with listening. Listening to children and young people not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental part of how decisions are made. It means, quite simply, making every decision as though children were in the room.

It means taking decisive action to reduce child poverty — recognising that behind every percentage point are real lives and futures. It means ensuring children are safe from harm, both in their communities, and in an increasingly complex online world. It means properly supporting mental health and wellbeing, so that no young person feels they have nowhere to turn. And it means backing families with the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life.

Financial support

We know what works. We know what children and families are asking for – from practical measures like financial support for families, to investment in services that help children feel safe, supported and able to thrive. What is needed now is the collective will to act.

The first decisions of a new government will matter. But so too will the willingness of all parties to work together, to take a long-term view, and to put children above political difference.

So as the votes are counted and a new Senedd takes shape, our message to every politician, from every party, is clear.

Be ambitious for children.

Listen to them.

Work with them.

And make a shared commitment to building a Wales where every child can be safe, happy, healthy, and hopeful.

Because when we get it right for children, we get it right for Wales.