Child Poverty in Wales

1
Parenting in Wales
Lucy Akhtar Acting Development Officer
(Parenting) Children in Wales
2
Demography of Wales

• Population 2.9 million, 2 belong to minority
  ethnic groups
• One-in-five children living in poverty
• Highest teenage birth rate in Western Europe
• Highest of babies born to lone mothers

3
Housing

• 20,000 children in Wales are living in poor
  housing
• Numbers in temporary accommodation trebled over
  past 2 years
• Use of BB increased eightfold since 1997

4

• For four months we didnt go to school, we went
  to six houses, no seven houses and six new
  schools I didnt like moving because every time
  I make new friends and then I have to move on
  again and again and again
• Mustafa, Z. Listen Up The Voices of Homeless
  Children Shelter 2004

5
Parents Concerns

• Concerns about child
• Child being bullied
• Child eating healthy
• Fathers main concern - watching too much
  television
• Concerns about being a parent
• Juggling work and family responsibilities
• Coping with tantrums/challenging behaviour
• Spending enough time with their children or as a
  family

6
Sources of advice/information

• Primary source - parents or family
• Would like School/Playgroup, Groups, GP/Health
  Visitor/Midwife, Friends family
• Only 1 would use Internet/TV
• 18 had taken part in a parenting programme
• Main reason for not considering it awareness
  about where to access these

7
Welsh Assembly Government action

• Communities First
• Cymorth
• Flying Start
• Parenting Action Plan

8
Physical Punishment

• Welsh Assembly adopted UNCRC in 2004
• National Assembly Members voted in favour of a
  ban on smacking children by 41 votes to 9
• Supports Children are Unbeatable campaign
• Materials to support positive parenting

9
Children in Wales

• Development Officer Parenting Fatherhood
• Fforwm Magu Plant / Fatherhood Wales
• Welsh Assembly Government
• Information for practitioners / parents
• Training

10
www.childreninwales.org.uk
Thank you