Committed to child protection

BARNARDO’S Cymru supports the Children Are Unbeatable Campaign for the equal protection of children against assault.

In Wales the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child became domestic law in 2011 so we have already made a legislative commitment to protect and support our children and young people’s rights as fully as possible. Creating a law to guarantee equal protection is simply completing something we, as a nation, have already agreed is positive and which will enhance family life.

Barnardo’s Cymru work with more than 8,000 children, young people and families across Wales. We believe that parents want the best for their children, but parenting can be challenging and stressful at times. Practitioners working with families in the statutory and voluntary sector provide support for families who need that little bit extra to assist them in securing positive well-being for the whole family. None of this will change by introducing equal protection for children in Wales.

Equal protection has been introduced in 52 countries across the world. It has not been uncommon for there to be worries and concerns about the potential negative impact of introducing such a law, including the potential criminalisation of many more parents, but the fears have proved to be unfounded.

In Wales Barnardo’s Cymru believes we should learn from the myriad of experiences within these countries and not be swayed in our commitment to pursue the protection of children and young people.

This will assist Wales in continuing to pursue better well-being outcomes for all children and young people. Sarah Crawley Director, Barnardo’s Cymru