Child Poverty Strategy monitoring framework: 2025

The Child Poverty Strategy Monitoring Framework 2025 provides the latest published data on outcomes for children and families in Wales. The findings are organised across four domains: Standard of Living; Education, Skills, and Employment; Wellbeing; and Inclusive Communities. The summary below provides a key finding for each domain.

Standard of Living domain

• In the most recent period, 31.2% of children in Wales were estimated to be living in relative income poverty after housing costs.

Education, Skills, and Employment domain

• The gap in GCSE attainment between pupils eligible for free school meals and those not eligible remains significant. In 2024 to 2025, the difference in achieving A* to C grades was 29.4 percentage points.

Wellbeing domain

• Babies born in more deprived areas of Wales are more likely to have low birthweight.

Inclusive Communities

• Satisfaction with access to local services and a sense of community belonging is lower among families experiencing material deprivation.