The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a Wales-focused briefing following the launch of its UK State of Child Health 2026 report.
The briefing provides a clear and comprehensive overview of children’s health across the four nations of the UK, examining progress against 12 key child health indicators, including infant mortality, mental health, obesity, immunisation and asthma.
RCPCH Wales analysis shows:
- Vaccination coverage has fallen below recommended levels and remains a significant concern, with very few routine childhood vaccines now meeting the 95% uptake target.
- More than a quarter (27%) of 5- to 6-year-olds in Wales had obvious tooth decay in 2024/25. Children living in the most deprived areas were nearly twice as likely to have tooth decay (37.6%) as those living in the least deprived areas (19.8%).
- Obesity remains a significant problem among children and young people in Wales. In 2024/25, 27.3% of 4- to 5-year-olds were overweight or living with obesity. This is the highest prevalence recorded in Wales to date and the highest rate among all four UK nations.
- An estimated 135,000 children and young people in Wales are living with a diagnosable mental health condition. Around one in six 8- to 10-year-olds, one in five 11- to 16-year-olds, and one in four 17- to 24-year-olds.
- Asthma related hospital admissions among children aged 5 to 14 increased sharply in September 2024, with 110 admissions compared with 23 in August – a 378% increase.
Following this analysis, a recent YouGov poll of parents in Wales found that:
- Less than a third (27%) of respondents feel the Welsh Government are doing enough to support child health.
- Only 18% of respondents believe the Welsh Government’s NHS spending on child health is ‘about right’.
- Around two-thirds (68%) of respondents believe the cost-of-living crisis is having a negative impact on child health. Breakdown: 33% believe the cost-of-living crisis is having the same negative impact now compared to a year ago 35% believe it’s having more of a negative impact.
Without urgent action, paediatricians warn that Wales risks raising one of the unhealthiest generations of children in decades. Failure to improve child health today risks lifelong health problems, poorer educational outcomes and entrenched inequalities long into the future.
The State of Child Health 2026 sets out a much-needed roadmap for change, with the 12 child health indicators providing a practical framework for current and future governments to track progress and drive improvements in children’s health. To improve health outcomes for children in Wales, the Welsh Government must deliver on Plaid Cymru’s manifesto commitment to develop a Children’s Health Plan.
RCPCH Co-Officer for Wales, Dr Dana Beasley, said:
This report exposes the deeply concerning state of child health in Wales and the widening inequalities experienced by families across the country. Behind every statistic is a child whose health, wellbeing and opportunities in life can be affected for years to come.
We cannot accept a situation where a child’s chances of growing up healthy are so heavily influenced by where they live or the circumstances they are born into. As paediatricians, we know that poor health and inequality are not inevitable. With the right investment and sustained action, we can change the trajectory for children and young people in Wales.
RCPCH Co-Officer for Wales, Dr Lizzy Nickerson, said:
Wales urgently needs a clear and ambitious Children’s Health Plan that puts prevention, early intervention and reducing inequalities at its heart. This must be evidence-based, data-driven and shaped by the expertise of clinicians alongside the voices and experiences of children and young people themselves.
We need stronger, more transparent child health data, meaningful targets that allow progress to be measured, and a clear focus on closing the gap between children living in the most and least advantaged communities. Crucially, this must be backed by sustained and equitable investment in child health services through a Child Health Investment Standard that reflects the growing complexity of paediatric need. Children’s health cannot be an afterthought – it must be a long-term priority for the Welsh Government.
Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, said:
Children have the right to the highest attainable standard of health, yet this report shows that too many children in Wales are being let down by widening inequalities and inconsistent access to support.
The findings echo what children, and young people have consistently told me: that support often comes too late, that access to services such as mental health and dental care can be difficult, and that healthy choices are not always the easiest choices.
The new Welsh Government must prioritise children’s health, listen to children’s voices, and deliver long-term action that gives every child a fair opportunity to live a healthy life.