Health inequalities faced by children in Wales

“If we want a healthy population, we need healthy children, and if we want healthy children, we must tackle childhood poverty” – Sioned Williams MS

Health inequalities faced by children in Wales

How would the next Welsh Government tackle the health inequalities children face in Wales?

That was the focus of the panel discussion with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), that I took part in recently with other Senedd Members.

Before I get into the issues discussed and solutions offered, the context is very important. Although I speak for Plaid Cymru on social justice and early years, this was a panel on children’s health. But here’s the thing – you only have to look at the RCPCH’s manifesto for the 2026 election to see that you can’t talk about improving children’s health outcomes without talking about the effect of child poverty. 1 in 3 children in Wales are living in poverty, and this figure has remained stubbornly high for the last 2 decades.

The RCPCH explains the impact clearly. Children who live in poverty are more likely have poor physical and mental health. They’re more likely to experience factors that can lead to future poor health, like adverse childhood experiences, tooth decay and obesity. They’re at a higher risk of death during their childhood. And they’re more likely to experience poor health throughout their life.

If we want a healthy population, we need healthy children, and if we want healthy children, we must tackle childhood poverty.

We also need to help the children who are currently in poor health. The numbers of children who are waiting for NHS treatment has remained consistently high, sometimes rising higher than adult waiting lists. This matters because children are still developing, and many treatments need to happen within a specific age or developmental stage – if they are not, this can cause a knock-on effect.

Therefore one of the first things that’s needed in Wales is a designated health plan for children and young people, that takes account of their specific health needs, and tackles the disproportionately longer waiting times for treatment.

The same approach is needed when it comes to children’s cancer. The next Welsh Government’s cancer strategy must have a specific focus on young cancer patients with commitments including funding the travel and accommodation costs of patients who have to travel outside of Wales for treatment.

But we also need a clearer focus on preventing poor child health. The next Welsh Government must begin the process of implementing a child payment in Wales – a weekly direct payment to support those who need it the most. This is taking learning from Scotland, where a similar policy is already lifting tens of thousands of children out of poverty. Scotland is the only nation in the UK where child poverty levels are predicted to decrease. A child lifted out of poverty today grows up to be healthier, happier, more prosperous as an adult.

We must always remember that it's political choices that lead to and deepen child poverty and therefore it will take deliberate political decisions to eradicate it.

Safeguarding the future of our nation and the well-being of our children, is every Government's responsibility, and should be one of their highest priorities.