Girls Allowed
Does a vegetarian make a worse Agriculture Minister than a carnivore?
Does a woman make a better member of the Children and Young People Committee than a man?
Does a mother make a better member of the Children and Young Peopel Committee than a father?
The parties in the Assembly seem to think so.
This afternoon there's a motion before plenary to elect the Children and Young People Committee.
The remit? To consider and report on issues affecting children and young people in Wales. Given child poverty is going to be at the heart of this government's policy making over the next few years, then this committee will have its work cut out. It'll have to consider reports by the Children's Commissioner. It'll be expected to examine government expenditure and policy and keep an eye on what other public bodies are doing too.
Which names have been put forward? Alun Cairns? Father of Henri and such a committed Dad I even spotted him dancing to Martin Geraint songs on the field of the National Eisteddfod. (If you don't have the CD, I can tell you that goes well, well beyond the call of duty. Ours is worn out ...)
How about Huw Lewis? Another Dad who was in and out of the creche to check up on his children at Labour's Llandudno conference earlier this year, frontline campaigner to improve the lot of children.
No, and no again. In fact Dads need not apply, let alone men.
The five are Lynne Neagle, Christine Chapman, Helen Mary Jones, Angela Burns and Eleanor Burnham.
Five good women, I know but just imagine if all five proposed members were men.
I'm Betsan Powys, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
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??? Oh I'm looking forward to some radical, free-thinking decisions eminating from that committee! (Betsan adds: A slightly edited version Vern! Picking on one doesn't seem fair ... )
Did Alun Cairns and Huw Lewis put their names forward?
Betsan, anyone seen dancing along (in public) to Martin Geraint should be sectioned at the very least.
Just where are the advisors !
I don't remember anybody having many complaints about the late Peter Clarke as the first Childrens' Commissioner for Wales and he was definitely a man...
This PC lunatic asylum we're forced to live in these days has virtually frozen men out of childrens' lives in the public sector - male infant and primary school teachers, kids' social workers, blah, blah, have virtually disappeared off the face of the planet and I, for one, don't see any improvement in child development or support services as a result.
Recruiting more male teachers in primary school would help to tackle the long-term underachievement of boys. We should see more male applicants becoming primary school teachers as boys benefit from positive role models," We should also have single sex primary schools. There as never been a more important time than now to get male role models in involved with childrens lives considering 35% of boys attending school are living without their biological fathers.
Children living without their biological fathers have more trouble in school
Tend to have more trouble getting along with others
Have higher risk of health problems
Are at greater risk of suffering physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Are more likely to run away from home
Are more likely to experience problems with sexual health
Are more likely to become teenage parents
Are more likely to offend
Are more likely to smoke
Are more likely to drink alcohol
Are more likely to take drugs
Are more likely to play truant from school
Are more likely to be excluded from school
Are more likely to leave school at 16
Are more likely to have adjustment problems
Are less likely to attain qualifications
Are more likely to experience unemployment
Are more likely to have low incomes
Are more likely be on income support
Are more likely to experience homelessness
Are more likely to be caught offending and go to jail
Are more likely to suffer from long term emotional and psychological problems
Are more likely to develop health problems
Tend to enter partnerships earlier and more often as cohabitation
Are more likely to divorce or dissolve their cohabiting unions
Are more likely to have children outside marriage or outside any partnership
This all-woman Children and Young People Committee should resign their positions immeadetly.
Head and deputy civil servants for Children and Families are both men One has no children.
It does need to be a mix I think - was it a question of being put on or asked about going on the committee