Children in Wales has worked with our national children’s third sector partners to respond to the Senedd Finance Committee’s call for information to inform it’s scrutiny of the Welsh Government’s 2024-25 draft budget proposals expected later this month.
Within the context of the challenging fiscal and cost-of-living pressures impacting on babies, children, young people and their families, alongside the demands being placed upon public and third sector services providing essential preventative and crisis support, we believe that the 2024-25 budget provides a unique opportunity to place babies, children and young people at the centre of the budgetary process.
Investing in babies, children and young people is not only morally right, but also makes economic sense.
Protecting children’s rights and their well-being by investing in programmes and quality services can help break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage for families and enable babies, children and young people to thrive and reach their full potential, minimising inequalities in health, education and life chances.
We are therefore calling for the 2024-5 budget to be an ambitious budget for babies, children and young people.
Read more below.