The challenge of ensuring that the rights and well-being of children are met in the present financial climate is to be discussed at Children in Wales’ Annual Policy Conference, which will take place on 24 and 25 November in Newport.
The conference, Rights, Indicators and Outcomes: Measuring the well-being of children and young people in Wales, will provide essential information for the children's sector on addressing the key priorities of improving the well-being and outcomes for children and young people, combating child poverty and social exclusion.
This major Round Table event will bring together policy makers, planners, managers and practitioners who will hear from a wide range of speakers, including Eric Marlier, who chaired the European Union (EU) Task Force on Child Poverty and Child Well-being which produced an influential report whose analysis and concrete recommendations were endorsed by all 27 EU Member States in January 2008. Delegates will also hear from Children’s Minister Jane Hutt, and Richard Thurston from the Social Research Division, Welsh Assembly Government, as well as Tracey Lee, Managing Director of Newport City Council. Speakers will share current thinking and information on indicators and outcomes at both national and international levels.
On the second day, Children in Wales is pleased to provide a platform at the conference for the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, which aims to raise public awareness of the importance of combating poverty and social exclusion. Dr Brian Gibbons, Minister for Social Justice and Local Government for Wales, will outline the objectives of the European Year 2010 and take questions from stakeholders attending the conference.
The remainder of the day will focus on what is emerging from the Welsh Assembly Government to help stakeholders measure and improve the well-being of children in Wales.
Eric Marlier, Chair of the EU Task Force on Child Poverty and Child Well-being and International Scientific Co-ordinator at the Luxembourg-based CEPS/INSTEAD Research Institute said: "A key objective of the 2010 European Year should be to make target setting a central and highly visible feature of the EU social commitment. All Member States should adopt national quantified objectives for the improvement of child well-being. These targets need to be based on a diagnosis of the causes of poverty and social exclusion of children in the country." With a view to strengthening the commitment of countries vis-à-vis the EU as a whole, he suggested a "dialogue between the European Commission and countries to discuss these targets and to agree formal social delivery agreements between individual countries and the EU".
Children’s Minister Jane Hutt, said: "We have made a commitment, through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to do everything we can to make sure children and young people living in Wales can access and enjoy their rights. Children and young people's well-being remains one of our top priorities and a key part of our One Wales agreement."
Dr. Brian Gibbons, Minister for Social Justice and Local Government said: "The 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion provides us with an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of tackling child poverty. Improving the life chances of children and young people in Wales is at the top of the Assembly Government's list of priorities and getting other organisations on board is a key part of this, which is why we are pleased to work with Children in Wales and other partners on this issue. The importance we attach to tackling child poverty is clearly illustrated by the way we have used our new legislative powers to introduce The Children and Families (Wales) Measure, which was passed by the National Assembly earlier this month and will place a duty on specific Welsh public bodies to identify and take action to assist in the goal of eradicating child poverty by 2020."
Richard Thurston, Social Research Division, Welsh Assembly Government, said: "Monitoring the well-being of children is very important. Publishing reports such as our Children and Young People’s Well-being Monitor helps the Welsh Assembly Government, its partners and the general public to see how well Wales’ children are doing in all areas of their lives. Without the data, it’s easier for us all to avoid tackling the problem of child poverty and well-being. And, having reliable data and research can also help to evaluate our policies in order to understand how we can develop and deliver more effective services. As part of that, we need to hear from children and young people themselves about what they think are the important things to address, to know what they think of the services they receive and their ideas for improving them."
Catriona Williams, Chief Executive, Children in Wales said: "It is essential that Wales has a method of measuring whether or not the well-being of the nation’s children is improving and also how Wales is doing in relation to other developed countries. Children have the right to meet their full potential and it is up to policy makers to ensure that resources are used to best effect. We know that investment in young children produces major long term gains for the country as a whole as well as for individual children and young people. One of the current challenges is to ensure that appropriate indicators are developed and encompass emotional as well as physical well-being."
Notes to editors
1. Rights, Indicators and Outcomes: Measuring the Well-being of Children and Young People in Wales will take place at the Christ Church Centre, Newport on the 24th and 25th of November. Programmes for both days can be downloaded from the Children in Wales website: http://www.childreninwales.org.uk/11840.html
2. The EU Commission and all 27 Member States have designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. This reaffirms and strengthens the commitment for the EU, set out in the Lisbon Strategy launched back in March 2000, to make "a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty". The year aims to raise public awareness of the importance of combating poverty and social exclusion for personal, social and economic development. It will aim to give a voice to those who experience poverty and social exclusion.
3. Children in Wales is the national umbrella organisation for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals who work with children and young people in Wales. www.childreninwales.org.uk. It aims to promote the interests of children, to improve services in Wales and to put children high on the Welsh agenda. Children in Wales has offices in Cardiff and Caernarfon.
4. For further information regarding this press release, please contact Catriona Williams, Chief Executive or Sarah Thomas, Development Officer at Children in Wales on 029 2034 2434 or at sarah.thomas@childreninwales.org.uk