Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010

Strategies

2 trategies for contributing to the eradication of child poverty

(1) A Welsh authority must prepare and publish a strategy for contributing to the eradication of child poverty in Wales which sets out each of the following—

(a) objectives chosen by the authority (subject to subsections (3) and (4)) which—

(i) relate to one or more of the broad aims for contributing to the eradication of child poverty, and

(ii) may be pursued in the exercise of its functions;

(b) any objectives specified in relation to the authority in regulations under subsection (5);

(c) actions to be performed and functions to be exercised by the authority for the purpose of achieving the objectives under paragraph (a) and, if any objectives are specified in relation to the authority in regulations under subsection (5), paragraph (b).

(2) A Welsh authority must take all reasonable steps to perform the actions and exercise the functions referred to in subsection (1)(c) in accordance with its strategy.

(3) The Welsh Ministers and a local authority must choose a range of objectives under subsection (1)(a) relating to all of the broad aims for the eradication of child poverty.

(4) The Welsh Ministers must also choose objectives under subsection (1)(a) which—

(a) relate to their powers to provide funding to any person, and

(b) promote the broad aims for the eradication of child poverty.

(5) The Welsh Ministers may specify objectives for a Welsh authority in regulations if—

(a) the objectives relate to one or more of the broad aims for contributing to the eradication of child poverty, and

(b) the objectives may be pursued by the Welsh authority in the exercise of its functions.

(6) Regulations under subsection (5) may also provide that subsection (1)(a) and paragraph (c) of that subsection (as it relates to paragraph (a)) do not apply to a Welsh authority to the extent specified in the regulations.

(7) For the purposes of this section, a reference to an action to be performed or a function to be exercised by a Welsh authority is a reference to an action or function which is within the powers of the Welsh authority.

(8) For provision about the preparation and publication of strategies, see sections 3 to 5 of this Measure and section 26 of the Children Act 2004 (c. 31).

3 Strategies prepared by the Welsh Ministers

(1) The Welsh Ministers—

(a) must publish their first strategy under this Part in 2010,

(b) must keep their strategy under review, and

(c) may from time to time remake or revise their strategy.

(2) Before making, remaking or revising their strategy, the Welsh Ministers must consult—

(a) the Secretary of State, and

(b) such other persons as they consider appropriate.

(3) The provisions of subsection (2)(a) are not to be interpreted as conferring a power or duty on the Secretary of State.

(4) The Welsh Ministers must publish a strategy when they make it and whenever they remake it; and, if they revise the strategy without remaking it, they must publish either the revisions or the strategy as revised (as they consider appropriate).

(5) If the Welsh Ministers publish a strategy or revisions under subsection (4) they must lay a copy of the strategy or revisions before the National Assembly for Wales.

(6) The Welsh Ministers must in 2013 and in every third year after 2013—

(a) publish a report containing an assessment of the extent to which—

(i) the objectives contained in their strategy for contributing to the eradication of child poverty have been achieved, and

(ii) if an objective has not been achieved, progress that has been made towards achieving the objective;

(b) lay a copy of the report before the National Assembly for Wales.

4 Strategies prepared by local authorities (children’s services authorities)

(1) The duty of a local authority to publish a strategy under section 2(1) is discharged on publication by the authority of a plan under section 26 of the Children Act 2004 (c. 31).

(2) The Children Act 2004 (c. 31) is amended as follows.

(3) In section 26 (children and young people’s plans)—

(a) for subsection (1), substitute—

“(1A) A children’s services authority in Wales must, in accordance with regulations made by the Welsh Ministers, prepare and publish a plan setting out the authority’s strategy for discharging their functions in relation to children and relevant young persons.

(1B) A children’s services authority in Wales must include in their plan—

(a) the arrangements made or to be made under section 25 by the authority;

(b) the children’s services authority’s strategy under section 2 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 (strategies for contributing to the eradication of child poverty).

(1C) A children’s services authority in Wales may include in their plan—

(a) the strategy or proposals in relation to children and relevant young persons of any partner of the authority;

(b) the strategy under section 2 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 (strategies for contributing to the eradication of child poverty) of any partner of the authority.

(1D) The powers of a children’s services authority in subsection (1C) are subject to any duty imposed in regulations under subsection (2)(a).”;

(b) in subsection (3)(b), for “person or body with whom a children’s services authority in Wales makes or proposes to make such arrangements” substitute “partner”;

(c) for subsection (6) substitute—

“(6) In this section—

• “partner” means any person or body with whom a children’s services authority in Wales has made an arrangement under section 25;

• “relevant young persons” means the persons, in addition to children, in relation to whom arrangements under section 25 may be made.”.

(4) In section 66 (regulations and orders), after subsection (6) insert—

“(7) Any statutory instrument containing regulations made under section 26 by the Welsh Ministers is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.

(8) Paragraphs 33 to 35 of Schedule 11 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 make provision about the National Assembly for Wales procedures that apply to any statutory instrument containing regulations or an order made in exercise of functions conferred upon the National Assembly for Wales by this Act that have been transferred to the Welsh Ministers by virtue of paragraph 30 of that Schedule.”.

5 Strategies prepared by other Welsh authorities

(1) In this section a reference to a “Welsh authority” does not include—

(a) the Welsh Ministers;

(b) a local authority.

(2) Subsection (3) applies to the strategy of a Welsh authority under section 2.

(3) Regulations may make provision as to—

(a) the period to which a strategy is to relate;

(b) when and how a strategy must be published;

(c) keeping a strategy under review;

(d) consultation to be carried out before a strategy is published.

(4) Subsection (5) applies to a Welsh authority if both of the following paragraphs apply—

(a) the Welsh authority exercises functions in relation to one or more local authority areas;

(b) the Welsh authority has entered into an arrangement under section 25 of the Children Act 2004 (c. 31) with each of those local authorities.

(5) The duty of a Welsh authority under section 2(1) to publish a strategy is discharged if the strategy is an integral part of a plan published under section 26 of the Children Act 2004 (c. 31) by each local authority with which it has entered into an arrangement under section 25 of that Act.