Julie Morgan, MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services
In July 2019, I announced the publication of the National Action Plan on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. The plan supported our ambitions for making Wales a place where children are listened to, have access to high quality, child-centred help and can realise their right to be protected from harm.
Today a report setting out what has been delivered under the Plan and identifying areas for further action is published. The Children’s Commissioner for Wales and the Cross-Party Group on preventing child sexual abuse have provided constructive scrutiny on the delivery of the Plan since 2019, and I am grateful for this.
I would like to acknowledge the work of our regional Safeguarding Boards and of the organisations who have worked with us to develop new learning and resources to deliver actions under the Plan. This includes Stop it Now Wales, the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, Barnardo’s, the NSPCC, and Cardiff University. I would also like to thank the children, young people and adult survivors who have given their time to inform this work.
Welsh Government will engage with partners and with young people on developing a new National Action Plan, as well as drawing on, where appropriate, the report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Our commitment to make sure that we do everything we can to protect children and young people in Wales from sexual and other forms of abuse remains a priority for Welsh Ministers.