An overview of the Healthy Child Wales Programme (last updated 11 April 2024) sets out what planned contacts children and their families can expect from their health boards from maternity service handover to the first years of schooling (0-7 years). These universal contacts cover three areas of intervention: screening; immunisation; and monitoring and supporting child development (surveillance).

Healthy child Wales quality assurance framework (last updated 11 March 2022) has been developed to ensure The Healthy Child Wales Programme delivers a progressive, universal service focused on prevention and early intervention, enabled by the application of the Family Resilience Assessment Instrument and Tool (FRAIT) (Wallace et al 2016). 

Welsh government: Guidance – Flying Start programme: The Flying Start programme helps families with children under 4-years-old in disadvantaged areas of Wales. Help available includes:

• an enhanced health visiting service#
• funded high-quality, part-time (12.5 hours a week) childcare for 2- to 3-year-olds
• access to parenting support
• support for speech, language and communication development.

The Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Cymru (NIPEC). The newborn and infant physical examination is offered to all babies in Wales. The examination must be completed by a trained practitioner – this can be a midwife, nurse, health visitor, doctor or physician's associate. The resources have been developed to standardise the approach across Wales. 

A Healthier Wales: our Plan for Health and Social Care (last updated 8 July 2025): a long-term plan for health and social care, to ensure that people stay healthy and independent for as long as possible. The webpage includes a suite of resources.  

Working together to achieve a Healthier Wales (published May 2023): Sets out Public Health Wales's long-term strategy (2023-2035) - working towards a Wales where people live longer, healthier lives and where all people in Wales have fair access to the things that lead to good health and wellbeing.

Children and young people's plan (last updated 1 March 2022) sets out the part that Welsh Government can play in making Wales a wonderful place for children and young people to grow up, live and work, where everyone feels valued.

Wales Safeguarding Procedures: These are the national Wales Safeguarding Procedures. They detail the essential roles and responsibilities for practitioners to ensure that they safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect.

All Wales Breastfeeding Five Year Action Plan (2019) - Overarching Strategic Goal: that more babies in Wales will be breast-fed, and for longer, and the current inequalities in breastfeeding rates between groups will be reduced. The strategic goal will be delivered through the following two strategic approaches focused on population level approaches and the health and care system.

Welsh government: Parenting. Give it time. Free practical tips and expert advice for all parenting challenges.

Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (and easy to read version): The Act imposes duties on local authorities, health boards and Welsh Ministers that require them to work to promote the wellbeing of those who need care and support, or carers who need support. 

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 aims to improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act gives a legally-binding common purpose – the seven wellbeing goals – for national government, local government, local health boards and other specified public bodies.

A More Equal Wales - The Socio-economic Duty Equality Act 2010 highlights the Welsh Government's commitment to safeguarding equality and human rights. It puts tackling inequality at the heart of decision making. 

Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015: The purpose of the Act is to improve arrangements and support for the prevention and protection of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence, and support for people affected.

Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 abolishes the defence of reasonable punishment and smacking in Wales. Physically punishing children is illegal in Wales – read Welsh Government summary.