Today’s Senedd elections could mark a significant period of change for the future of justice in Wales.

In the run-up to the vote, on April 23 2026, we hosted a roundtable on the future of the probation service in Wales, where we invited organisations share their views on what the top three justice priorities should be for the Welsh voluntary & community sector in engagement with the Senedd. 

Summary 

The voluntary & community criminal justice sector in Wales wants the next Welsh Government to move from aspiration to delivery.  

The organisations we spoke to repeatedly stressed that the sector has expertise, innovation and frontline insight, but too often lacks the funding and commissioning stability needed to sustain the impact of their services. They also wanted a stronger, more explicit partnership between the Welsh Government, other statutory agencies (including non-devolved agencies such as HMPPS) and the voluntary & community sector, especially as the current political cycle changes. 

Organisations urged the next Welsh Government to prioritise anti-racism, youth justice, women’s support, families, neurodiversity, probation reform, fair commissioning and access to housing on release.  

Top justice priorities:

1. Anti-racism must stay visible and active 

There was strong support for ensuring that anti-racism is kept at the centre of justice engagement with the Senedd, with concern that momentum has slowed and that the Welsh Government and justice partners need to keep pushing delivery rather than further discussion. The organisations we spoke to called for more action on services, projects and funding that prevent the criminalisation of young people, alongside clearer leadership and accountability. 

2. Youth justice needs to become more meaningful 

Strengthening youth justice was identified as a priority, particularly because current services do not always engage with young people in ways that feel relevant or effective. The sector wants a stronger focus on early support, prevention and approaches that respond to the realities of young people’s lives rather than relying on punitive responses. 

3. Women, families and diversion need greater support 

The roundtable highlighted the need for continued investment in early intervention and prevention to keep women away from custody, alongside stronger recognition of women’s centres as part of the solution. Families were also described as a core part of the justice system, because relationships are central to reducing reoffending and helping people recover. Participants also raised the impact on children when a parent is arrested, arguing that rights frameworks do not always translate into support on the ground. 

Wider system issues 

The organisations we spoke to also highlighted the need for a more humane, holistic model of probation, shaped by public health principles and anti-oppressive practice. This approach should take account of young adults, care-experienced people and men with high levels of suicide risk and poor mental health. Neurodiversity was also flagged as an area needing much more attention, particularly where it intersects with race and gender. 

An additional theme explored during the roundtable was the culture of commissioning. The Voluntary & Community sector wants commissioning that looks ahead, prevents problems and supports social value, rather than short-term “firefighting”. Related concerns were raised about vetting delays, inconsistent local authority practice and pay variation, all of which make it harder for voluntary organisations to recruit and retain staff. Housing was also identified as a major issue, with participants warning that reoffending is unlikely to fall while accommodation on release remains patchy and inconsistent. 

What the sector wants from Clinks 

The roundtable suggested that we could: 

• Bolster our convening and advocacy role by helping voluntary organisations make their collective case to new MSs and ministers.  
• Develop a support offer that helps the sector communicate its value to the statutory system, especially the fact that many of the most effective innovations are already being delivered by voluntary organisations.  
• Advance a fair funding charter, which would give the sector a stronger shared platform on commissioning, investment and workforce sustainability. 

Next Steps 

Based on the recommendations provided to us, going in to and following the Senedd elections, Clinks will continue to support the voluntary criminal justice sector in Wales by engaging organisations, sharing insight from the frontline, and helping to amplify the sector’s priorities with new MSs, ministers and wider partners. We will continue to promote the expertise of voluntary & community organisations, support stronger relationships with decision-makers, and advocate for improved funding and commissioning conditions which are necessary to ensure the sector is able to continue to deliver its services and keep up with demand.