Welsh election: Local factors with national impact

As the BBC Wales election tour gets underway, I’m looking forward to hearing the views of voters across the country. The latest ITV Wales/YouGov poll suggests Labour would remain the biggest party with 28 seats, down two from the current 30. It also indicated a decline in Conservative support – 10 seats, down four from […]


Welsh Tory manifesto promises 50,000 jobs and 'real change'

The Welsh Conservatives have launched their assembly election manifesto, promising “real change” with the creation of 50,000 jobs. Speaking in Wrexham, Andrew RT Davies said: “We can’t afford for Wales to be left behind under Labour. “It must be our passion to energise people to come out and vote for the Welsh Conservatives on the […]


CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND PARTICIPATION What does it mean these days?

Children in Wales Wednesday, 15 June 2016, 10.30am – 4pm National Botanic Gardens of Wales, Carmarthen This conference will cast a spotlight on our understanding of children’s rights and participation, what it means to children, young people, professionals and academics in Wales in 2016. Confirmed speakers to date include: – Dr Jacky Tyrie, Lecturer in […]


Stephen Crabb pledges 'relentless focus' on improving life chances

Welfare secretary signals no major changes to government policy and says he is ‘absolutely committed’ to universal credit rollout A belief in the value of work and the family, coupled with a “relentless focus” on improving life chances, will drive social security reform, the welfare secretary,Stephen Crabb, has said. Although Crabb adopted a more inclusive, […]


Love Your Vote – A free workshop for people with a learning disability and autism

A Dimensions Cymru Event Tuesday 26 April 2016 9:45am to 12:30pm OR 1.45pm to 4.30pm The Riverfront Newport Learning Disability Wales are delighted to announce that our friends at Dimensions Cymru are working with the Houses of Parliament to hold a free workshop in Newport to explain the process of politics and how to vote. These […]


Trussell Trust: Welsh food bank use 'remains at record levels'

The use of food banks in Wales “remains at record levels” despite a slight drop, a charity has said. Trussell Trust figures showed 85,656 three-day food packages were given out in the 2015/16 financial year, compared to 85,875 the year before. It also said benefit delays and changes remained the biggest causes of Welsh food […]


The Minister for Health and Social Services stressed the importance of leaving a ‘legacy of ideas’ for the next Welsh Government at a recent meeting with third sector representatives.

At the March 2016 Ministerial Meeting between the Minister for Health and Social Services and representatives from the third sector, Mark Drakeford AM spoke of his pleasure that the Assembly term was ending with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act implemented, but that it was important to leave a legacy of ideas and discussion […]


DWP 'punishing' low-paid full-time workers under new benefits rule

Critics say scheme under which working people claiming universal credit can be fined for failing to do enough to find more work is ‘political dynamite’ Fines imposed on full-time workers who claim universal credit amount to “punishing the working poor”, experts have suggested, as it emerged that one woman was docked £220 for missing a […]


Former students of scandal-hit charity are still at home, four months on

Former pupils of the Royal School for Deaf Children Margate (RSDCM) have still not been found a suitable new school, more than four months after it closed. The school was forced to close in December for financial reasons, after the care watchdog uncovered evidence that disabled young people at the neighbouring Westgate College for Deaf […]


Government ‘must see disabled people as innovators and contributors’

Disabled entrepreneurs have told the government’s business department that it is not doing enough to make its programmes accessible. In a meeting of the all-party parliamentary disability group, a senior civil servant listened as disabled entrepreneurs lined up to express their concerns at his department’s lack of support for them. Jacqueline Winstanley, who runs consultancy Universal […]


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