The ECPN Steering Group has been very busy in December 2011. We had a very positive meeting with Gwenda Thomas, the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, on 8 December. We will be meeting her again in March. In January, we will be meeting the Welsh Government to discuss the Tackling Poverty Action Plan.

The Steering Group has also been invited to attend the Welsh Government's events on the Consultation on options to replace the Social Fund Community care Grants and Crisis Loans for Living Expenses - see Consultation section. We will be responding to the consultation in the next few months.

The ECPN has submitted a response to the White Paper consultation on the School Standards and Organisation Bill (Wales). The Network concentrated on the questions on Free Breakfast Schemes and the costs of school meals. Please see section on consultations.

Child Poverty Strategy for Wales and Delivery Plan - The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a consultation on the new Child Poverty Strategy for Wales.

Fuel Poverty Charter - A charter calling for fuel poverty in Wales to be eradicated has been launched by a coalition of organisations including the End Child Poverty Network Cymru.

Child Poverty Solutions - A new website designed to help councils and their partners develop local responses to reducing child poverty has been launched: www.childpovertysolutions.org.uk

Child poverty figures increase -The annual HBAI figures (2007/08) released on 07 May 2009, indicate that after housing costs are taken into account, 32% of children in Wales were in poverty in 2008, defined as living in households with less than 60% of the UK median income. This rose from 29% the previous year.

Keep the Promise - the UK's biggest event to end child poverty - On 4 October 2008, More than 10,000 people from across the UK travelled to London to take part in the UK's biggest ever rally to end child poverty. Read more on the End Child Poverty website.

NGO Manifesto for the National Assembly elections on 3 May 2007 - A group of children's voluntary organisations have produced a manifesto of which the poverty section can be downloaded here. The End Child Poverty Network Cymru supports the aims and recommendations included in the manifesto.

UN Eradication of Poverty Day, 17 October 2006 - Cost of Education - Parents living on low incomes in Wales are struggling to meet increasing and diverse "hidden" costs of sending their children to school, according to the End Child Poverty Network Cymru. Click here for the Briefing

Child Poverty Matters - On 30-31 August 2006 24 young people aged 13-16 years from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales went to a Child Poverty Matters event in Westminster to tell Ministers and leading figures in the field of child poverty what life was like in their communities. The End Child Poverty Network Cymru was involved in publicising this event and young people from Swansea Youth Forum attended the consultation. Click here for the Report. Some video footage of the event can also be viewed on YouTube.

Child Poverty in Wales - much work to be done Conference Report, August 2006

Unequal Choices - In April 2006, the ECPN Cymru organised a 'listening event' in Cardiff with young parents and young people to gather their views and solutions to many of the pressing problems associated with child poverty. Unequal Choices, published by End Child Poverty in association with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation chronicles the views of over 300 people who took part in events staged in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, London, Liverpool and Sheffield. Click here for the report.