Commenting on the findings of the national SHRN survey published on 17 October, The Children’s Commissioner, Rocio Cifuentes MBE, said:
“The results of the significant/large scale School Health Research Network’s survey are very important in helping us to understand key issues and challenges facing children and young people in Wales. One of the key themes running throughout the figures is that of inequality, for instance those from the most affluent households report that they eat more fruit and vegetables and are more likely to take part in physical activity than those in lower affluence households, gender is also a notable inequality, with girls being less likely to take part in physical exercise and more likely to report poor mental wellbeing.
‘When resources are so limited, it’s more important than ever for Welsh Government to take heed of these results; they’re an important reminder of the limited opportunities afforded to children from less affluent backgrounds. The findings should be used to inform ongoing work,including the revision of the guidelines for school food, the Daily Active Offer for physical exercise in schools, the new mental health strategy, and to focus efforts on equal opportunities for all children.
‘Sadly, but not surprisingly, this research highlights bullying as a significant issue for children and young people; something that is consistently high on children’s lists of worries in national surveys. This includes in my own national survey in 2022, which continued to emphasise a link between bullying and protected characteristics, with most of the bullying children experience happening at school. All children have a right to an education, a right to be safe, and a right to reach their full potential. Bullying breaches all of these rights. There is an urgent need for the Welsh Government to address weaknesses in how data on bullying, including on any relevant protected characteristics, is collected by schools and used to improve outcomes for children both locally and nationally. Long awaited guidance is finally due to be published for consultation in the autumn which my team and I will be scrutinising closely.”