Designate Children's Commissioner slams WAG child poverty targets.

12.00.00am GMT Tue 26th Feb 2008

Eleanor Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Children and Young People, today welcomed the response of the Assembly Government to the Children's Commissioner's report. However, Ms Burnham is alarmed about the designate Commissioner's comments on child poverty. Speaking in Committee last week, Keith Towler, designate Commissioner, warned that the government will not reach its child poverty reduction targets by 2010 and 2020.

Ms Burnham said:

"I am pleased that the designate Children's Commissioner has spoken out on the government's failing targets of reducing child poverty rates in Wales. During the committee meeting, Mr Towler said that we a re "so far behind on getting to this target"

"28% of children in Wales are living in desperate poverty and this issue has been a recurring theme in the Commissioner's report year after year.

"This year is an important year for reporting for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and child poverty will be a prominent feature on the report for Wales. The UN will be harsh in their judgment of both Westminster and Cardiff Labour government and quite rightly so.

"The current One Wales manifesto policy of eradicating child poverty by 2020 is totally unambitious, something I fear will be too little too late for a generation of young people.

"Children who live in this situation are more susceptible to health issues and are deprived of starting life on the right foot. Child poverty is a problem and something that cannot continue in one of the richest countries in the world."

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