Written - Legislative Competence Order Relating To Vulnerable Children And Child Poverty

I am pleased to announce that a proposed Legislative Competence Order (LCO) for Vulnerable Children and Child Poverty will be laid today. This is the third of its kind under the new powers conferred on the National Assembly for Wales by the Government of Wales Act 2006. The Order has been developed to deliver on the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitments made in our manifesto in respect of vulnerable children and child poverty.  I will make an Oral Statement during Plenary on 10 July.

The Welsh Assembly Government policy in ‘Rights To Action’ set the Welsh Assembly Government vision for all children and young people in Wales. That policy is underpinned by seven core aims built around the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), that children: 

• have a flying start in life
• have a comprehensive range of education and learning opportunities
• enjoy the best possible health and are free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation
• have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities
• are listened to, treated with respect, and have their race and cultural identity recognised
• have a safe home and a community which supports physical and emotional wellbeing
• are not disadvantaged by poverty

These aims are central to all our policies and programmes for children and young people. A fundamental principle of Rights To Action is that children with the greatest need should get additional support to provide them with equality of opportunity to give them the best start in life and to encourage them to be active citizens.  

The principal purpose of this LCO is to empower the Assembly to make Assembly Measures under part 3 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 that will enable implementation of the Welsh Assembly Government’s policy for Vulnerable Children and Child Poverty in Wales.