A study examined how children in Wales aged 10-12 years perceived gender, sexual identity and relationships. The report said that both boys and girls felt pressurized to conform to gender norms, children generally found it difficult to either deal with or disclose their experiences of verbal sexual harassment, and many children were angry about sexism among their peers and in society as a whole. Recommendations included: better sex- and relationship-education, with a rights-based approach; greater efforts to assess the well-being of children; and better advice, information, and support.
Source: Emma Renold, Boys and Girls Speak Out: A qualitative study of children s gender and sexual cultures (age 10-12), University of Cardiff
Links: Report | Summary | University of Cardiff press release
Date: 2013-Dec
A report examined health and health related statistics for children and young people living in Wales. It said that the majority were healthy and satisfied with life, but one in five of those aged 0-19 years lived in poverty. The report called for co-ordinated interagency action to improve the health of children and young people, and its determinants.
Source: Tracy Price, Jo Arthur, Anna Childs, Ruth Davies, Rhys Gibbon, Dee Hickey, Rhian Hughes, Sian Price, Holly Walsh, and Margaret Webber, Health of Children and Young People in Wales, Public Health Wales NHS Trust
Links: Report | Summary | PHW press release
Date: 2013-Nov
The government published its early years and childcare plan, setting out its direction of travel for the following ten years. The plan included actions on early education and childcare, supporting families, and child health.
Source: Building a Brighter Future: Early years and childcare plan, Welsh Government
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Nov
The children's rights watchdog for Wales published a report on leaving care, noting that improvements had been seen since the 2011 survey. The findings would inform further dialogue with key stakeholders about the issues raised.
Source: Keith Towler, Lost After Care: Monitoring report 2013, Children's Commissioner for Wales
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Oct
The children's rights watchdog in Wales published a progress report on the Welsh Government's child poverty strategy. It noted that the child poverty rate in Wales stood at 33 per cent, and had increased over the previous five years.
Source: Child Poverty Strategy Progress Report 2013, Children's Commissioner for Wales
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Oct
The Welsh Government published a 10-year plan designed to close the gap between the most and least disadvantaged children, focusing on children s and family services for children aged 0-7. It promised more support and encouragement for parents to be involved in their children s learning, and the development of a more consistent approach to tracking a child s development.
Source: Building a Brighter Future: Early years and childcare plan, Welsh Government
Links: Plan | Welsh Government press release | CLS press release
Date: 2013-Jul
An article compared community-based and individual-based targeting of parenting support interventions in disadvantaged communities in Wales.
Source: Judy Hutchings, Nia Griffith, Tracey Bywater, Margiad Elen Williams, and Helen Baker-Henningham, 'Targeted versus universal provision of support in high-risk communities: comparison of characteristics in two populations recruited to parenting interventions', Journal of Children's Services, Volume 8 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
A report provided an overview of child poverty in each local authority area in Wales. In one area of south Wales, 29 per cent of children and young people aged 0-19 lived in relative income poverty.
Source: Ross Chamberlain and Ruth Mullineux (with Helen Cocco and Sara Drysdale), Child Poverty Snapshots: The local picture in Wales, Save the Children
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jan
