• New Safeguarding programme to strengthen protection for children, young people and adults at risk from abuse and neglect.
• A new Ministerial Assurance Board and intelligence hub to detect warning signs earlier and share information faster.
• Children, young people and adults voices will be at the centre of the programme.
People at risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation will be better protected under a new safeguarding programme being launched across Wales.
Stronger Safeguarding for a Safer Wales will provide a single national programme across Wales, improving leadership, accountability, intelligence and consistency across the system.
The programme responds to the Strengthening Safeguarding Governance Review, led by Jan Pickles OBE, and delivers Welsh Government commitments to strengthen safeguarding and ensure the voices of children, young people, adults at risk, victims and survivors help shape the services designed to protect them.
Key improvements include:
- a new Ministerial Safeguarding Oversight Board to strengthen national leadership and accountability
- a safeguarding function within the National Social Care Intelligence Hub to improve intelligence, identify emerging risks and support earlier action
- a National Safeguarding Plan and National Risk Register to provide clearer priorities and a more consistent approach across Wales
The programme will strengthen learning from safeguarding reviews, inspections, data and practice, helping organisations identify risks earlier and respond more effectively when concerns arise.
It will also create the foundations for future consultation on proposals for an Adult and Child Protection Authority for Wales and mandatory reporting of abuse.
Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health Delyth Jewell said:
Strengthening the responsiveness and accountability of safeguarding measures in Wales has been a top priority for this new Welsh Government. Every child and adult in Wales should have the utmost confidence that any concerns of abuse are heard and acted on by relevant authorities, which is why we have acted decisively to implement this ambitious programme.
This programme is about building a stronger safeguarding system for Wales, one that identifies risks earlier, learns from past failings and ensures organisations work together to protect people from harm.
Most importantly, this programme will ensure the voices and experiences of children, young people, adults at risk, victims and survivors help shape the services designed to protect them.