CHILDREN'S SOCIETY IN WALES

Motion Text

That this House is dismayed by the decision of the Children's Society to cease completely its activities in Wales without any consultation with the public and young people in particular; sympathises with the financial pressures on medium-sized charities but believes that this response is a dereliction of duty towards the children and young people of Wales; is extremely concerned that this unilateral decision will abandon many children and could place them at risk; regrets the loss of around 120 jobs; notes that the Society has been active in Wales for 113 years and that this decision is a betrayal of the hard work of donors and volunteers over many decades; believes that the Children's Society should not review this move as it demonstrates clearly their contempt and lack of understanding of Wales; asserts that, rather, the Society should make arrangements with children's charities who are interested in working in Wales to take up its abandoned services; calls on the Government to review any funding for the Children's Society to ensure that it reflects its new England-only focus; and calls on the Society to leave an endowment fund in Wales to support children's services.