Siambr · Member of the Senedd · Register of record
Delyth Jewell
Tenures
- Fifth Senedd Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni Plaid Cymru
- Sixth Senedd Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni Plaid Cymru
- Seventh Senedd Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni Plaid Cymru
Ministerial roles
- Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health Y Dirprwy Weinidog Gofal Cymdeithasol, Iechyd Meddwl ac Iechyd Menywod
Contributions, by sitting day
117 contributions on record, newest first. Official verbatim record.
15
Open this sitting on the stage
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Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Mae gofal cymdeithasol yn helpu plant a theuluoedd trwy gyfnodau anodd, yn galluogi pobl anabl i fyw'n annibynnol, yn cefnogi pobl hŷn i aros yn y lle maen nhw'n ei alw'n gartref, ac yn helpu gofalwyr di-dâl i allu parhau i roi'r gofal amhrisiadwy maen nhw'n ei ddarparu bob dydd. Mae gofal cymdeithasol yn hanfodol i lesiant ein cenedl. Ond dyw gofal cymdeithasol, a'r bobl ymroddedig sy'n gweithio yn y sector, ddim bob amser wedi cael y gydnabyddiaeth maen nhw'n ei haeddu.
Official English translation
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Social care helps children and families through difficult times, enables disabled people to live independently, supports older people to remain in the place they call home, and helps unpaid carers sustain the invaluable care they provide every day. Social care is fundamental to the well-being of our nation. Yet social care, and the dedicated people who work within it, have not always received the recognition they deserve.
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Social care is too often treated as a hidden service, appreciated only by people whose families or lives have reached a point of crisis. Only then do people come to realise the value of care work—work that keeps our society afloat, the hours dedicated by carers, both paid and unpaid, that make people’s lives better, allowing them to live full and fulfilled lives. It isn’t always easy to capture in graphs or spreadsheets, but millions of actions every day make miracles of the daily lives of people living around us. Too often, it isn’t noticed. That has to change. I'm determined that it will change. I'm pleased today to set out the next stage of our journey towards a national care service for Wales—a stronger, fairer and more consistent system of care and support, built around people and their lives. It's vital that we do this, because demand for adult social care continues to increase at unprecedented levels, with more people seeking support and with needs becoming increasingly complicated. In July this year, local authorities recorded 20,149 social care contacts: the highest number of contacts on record, representing a 23 per cent increase on the number of contacts reported in July last year, a 67 per cent increase on the number of contacts in July of the year before that. Yet, despite these challenges, local authorities and partners across Wales continue to support growing numbers of people. The dedication of our social care workforce is clear to us all. But this also shows why sustained change is needed if we are to meet future demand. The national care service programme is about strengthening social care, reducing unacceptable variation, supporting our workforce and improving outcomes and experiences for people and communities across Wales. Above all, it's about creating a system that works around people, rather than expecting people to work around the system.
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Ddirprwy Lywydd, gall y Llywodraeth ddim gwneud hyn ar ei phen ei hun. Heddiw, rŷn ni'n cyhoeddi camau sy'n esbonio ein huchelgais, y camau rŷn ni'n bwriadu eu cymryd yn ystod tymor y Senedd hon a beth gall hyn ei olygu i bobl. Mae hyn yn nodi dechrau sgwrs genedlaethol ehangach am ddyfodol gofal cymdeithasol yng Nghymru, nid ymarfer ymgynghori unigol. Rŷn ni am i'r sgwrs honno fod yn agored, yn gynhwysol a chael ei llywio gan ystod eang o leisiau, gan gynnwys pobl â phrofiad bywyd, gofalwyr di-dâl, y gweithlu, partneriaid ar draws iechyd a llywodraeth leol, darparwyr a chynrychiolwyr gwleidyddol o bob rhan o'r Senedd. Trwy gynnal y trafodaethau hynny, dŷn ni'n gobeithio meithrin gwell dealltwriaeth o'r heriau sy'n wynebu gofal cymdeithasol a nodi meysydd lle y gallai fod uchelgais gyffredin ar gyfer dyfodol gofal a chymorth yng Nghymru. Dylai pobl allu disgwyl cymorth o ansawdd uchel ble bynnag maen nhw'n byw yng Nghymru, tra bod gwasanaethau'n parhau i gael eu darparu'n lleol, wrth gwrs, ac yn cael eu siapio gan eu cymunedau. Mae sefydlu'r swyddfa genedlaethol gofal a chymorth o dan arweiniad y prif swyddog gofal cymdeithasol wedi rhoi llwyfan cryfach o ran arweinyddiaeth genedlaethol, gwella a chydweithio.
Official English translation
Dirprwy Lywydd, the Government cannot deliver this alone. Today, we are publishing information explaining our ambition, the actions we intend to take during this Senedd term and what they could mean for people. This marks the beginning of a wider national conversation about the future of social care in Wales, not a single consultation exercise. We want that conversation to be open, inclusive and informed by a broad range of voices, including people with lived experience, unpaid carers, the workforce, partners across health and local government, providers and political representatives from all parts of the Senedd. Through having these discussions, we hope to build greater understanding of the challenges facing social care and to identify areas where there may be shared ambition for the future of care and support in Wales. People should be able to expect high-quality support wherever they live in Wales, while services remain locally delivered, of course, and shaped by their communities. The establishment of the national office for care and support, under the leadership of the chief social care officer, has created a stronger platform for national leadership, improvement and collaboration.
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Our programme is built around six key foundations. First, we will implement clear national leadership, accountability and safeguarding. We will work with partners across Wales to improve consistency, strengthen accountability and take forward our ambitions for a national conversation on shaping our social care services. Secondly, I turn to fair funding and reliable care. We will strengthen commissioning, improve market oversight and build the evidence needed to inform future funding policy decisions. We will work towards fairer and more consistent arrangements across Wales, helping to improve affordability and access to care and support. This will help create greater consistency, transparency and confidence in how care and support are planned, commissioned and delivered. Thirdly, Dirprwy Lywydd, is a valued and sustainable workforce. Social care workers support thousands of people every day through their commitment, their professionalism, their compassion. Care is not always something easily caught in traditional metrics or measures, because it surpasses them all. The work of care workers is what gives people's lives meaning. They bring companionship, solace and, yes, joy, to thousands upon thousands of people. They deserve more than thanks. They deserve their work to be recognised in how they're paid, the career progression and development that's available to them, and in how they're esteemed by society. This Government is committed to strengthening recruitment and retention for social care, maintaining the real living wage as the minimum rate paid to the workforce and progressing our ambitions for fairer pay. We will also develop a national social care academy to help people enter the profession, develop their skills and progress their careers. Now, Wales is ahead of our neighbours in this work. It is something we should take pride in.
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Mae dadansoddiad yn dangos bod pob £1 sy'n cael ei fuddsoddi mewn gofal cymdeithasol i oedolion yng Nghymru yn cynhyrchu tua £2.78 mewn gwerth cymdeithasol ac economaidd. Yn bedwerydd, Ddirprwy Lywydd, byddwn ni'n cryfhau data, technoleg ddigidol a chanlyniadau. Mae penderfyniadau da yn dibynnu ar wybodaeth sy'n dda. Os ydym am wella gwasanaethau, adnabod pwysau yn gynnar a chynllunio'n effeithiol ar gyfer y dyfodol, mae angen dealltwriaeth gryfach o brofiadau pobl a'r heriau sy'n wynebu'r system. Byddwn ni'n sefydlu hwb gwybodaeth gofal cymdeithasol o fewn y swyddfa genedlaethol, yn gwella ansawdd a chysondeb data gofal ac yn cryfhau adroddiadau cenedlaethol a goruchwyliaeth o'r farchnad. Bydd gwell deallusrwydd yn ein helpu i adnabod risg yn gynharach, targedu gweithgarwch gwella yn fwy effeithiol a darparu mwy o dryloywder ynghylch lle mae'r system yn gweithio'n dda a lle mae angen gweithredu pellach. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, byddwn ni'n parhau i gefnogi'r defnydd o ddatrysiadau digidol a thechnolegol sy'n helpu i wella canlyniadau i bobl, cefnogi'r gweithlu a galluogi darparu gofal a chymorth yn fwy effeithiol. Yn bumed, byddwn ni'n rhoi pwyslais o'r newydd ar atal, diogelu a chymunedau cryfach. Byddwn ni'n datblygu dull cenedlaethol cryfach ar gyfer atal ac ymyrryd yn gynnar, yn bwrw ymlaen â'r strategaeth 10 mlynedd ar gyfer atal ac ymateb i gam-drin plant yn rhywiol ac yn cyhoeddi strategaeth genedlaethol newydd ar gyfer gofalwyr di-dâl. Rhaid i hynny wneud gwahaniaeth ymarferol trwy sicrhau cefnogaeth gynharach, gwell cydnabyddiaeth ar gyfer gofalwyr di-dâl a gwasanaethau cymunedol cryfach sy'n helpu pobl i gynnal eu hannibyniaeth a'u llesiant. Ac yn olaf, mae gofal cymdeithasol a chymorth di-dor.
Official English translation
Analysis indicates that every £1 invested in adult social care in Wales generates approximately £2.78 in social and economic value. Fourth, Dirprwy Lywydd, we will strengthen data, digital technology and outcomes. Good decisions depend on good information. If we are to improve services, identify pressures early and plan effectively for the future, we need a stronger understanding of people's experiences and the challenges facing the system. We will establish a social care intelligence hub within the national office, improve the quality and consistency of social care data and strengthen national reporting and market oversight. Better intelligence will help us identify risk earlier, target improvement activity more effectively and provide greater transparency about where the system is working well and where further action is needed. Alongside this, we will continue supporting the use of digital and technological solutions that help improve outcomes for people, support the workforce and enable more effective delivery of care and support. Fifth, we will place renewed emphasis on prevention, safeguarding and stronger communities. We will develop a stronger national approach to early intervention, take forward our 10-year strategy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse and publish a new national strategy for unpaid carers. All of this must make a practical difference through earlier support, better recognition of unpaid carers and stronger community-based services that help people maintain their independence and their well-being. And finally, there's seamless social care and support.
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People don't experience their lives in silos through separate organisations, budgets or professional boundaries. They should not have to navigate those boundaries to receive the right support. We will take forward the Ynghyd 2030 programme for children and families, strengthening pathways of care and continuing to improve integration between health and social care through our integrated community care system. We'll also encourage innovative models of care that support communities and improve people’s experiences of care and support. Dirprwy Lywydd, over this Senedd term, we intend to make substantial progress across the programme. This will include taking forward Stronger Safeguarding for a Safer Wales, developing the national social care academy, strengthening commissioning and regional collaboration, improving intelligence and market oversight, enhancing support for unpaid carers, progressing fair pay ambitions and developing the evidence needed to inform future decisions. This programme will not complete our journey towards a national care service, but it sets out practical steps we can take now and provides the foundations and the evidence needed to continue that journey with confidence. Ultimately, its success will not be measured by the structures we create or the documents we publish. It will be measured by whether people can access the right support at the right time, whether unpaid carers feel recognised and supported, whether our workforce feels valued and whether people can live independently, safely and with dignity for longer. That is our ambition: a people-centred national care service, shaped by Welsh values and built with the people and communities it exists to serve.
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Diolch, James. I appreciate what you said at the start, that you haven't perhaps supported the idea of a national care service, but what I would hope, and I think lots of us would hope about a national care service, is that this is building towards—. I mean, I'm not pretending for a moment that this represents this in its entirely, but that a national care service would be greater than the sum of its individual parts. And the individual parts here—. I would hope, from what you've said, there would be support for some of those, regardless of how they're packaged, the individual elements—
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You asked about the workforce, certainly, and I certainly agree with you that the real living wage must be the minimum that we should be paying. I think it's 84 per cent—well, the most recent figures, which obviously aren't completely up to date, suggest that 84 per cent of the workforce currently is being paid the real living wage. Obviously, there's more still to do. I think it's 60,000 social care workers, including personal assistants, that are scoped to receive the real living wage. We want to go beyond that, so we are progressing fair pay agreements for the workforce, and we've worked really closely with the UK Government to ensure that provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025 were extended to Wales for that. And you had mentioned that we need to make sure that social care workers are not at a disadvantage compared with their counterparts in the NHS, and I think that's something that certainly we would be looking to address through those bodies, because, often, social care workers are competing with sectors like retail and hospitality in terms of the pay that they currently get, and those professions would be far less intensive in terms of the roles, and so we need to be making sure that we are truly valuing this vital work. You mentioned as well the need to make sure that rural areas are—. Basically, that there isn't a postcode lottery, which is, obviously, something that we would all agree with. In terms of some of the elements of what I've announced today that would help to address that concern, which I think is a really worthy concern, well, for example, the social care intelligence hub, that's going to help strengthen planning and to identify risks and pressures in different parts of Wales to see, 'Okay, so what needs to be addressed here in terms of strengthening commissioning as well?', again to spot different patterns to make sure that there is more of a truly national envelope of support that is available, because, at the moment, too many people are at the mercy of just individual decisions, which will vary hugely in different parts of the country, and we want to streamline as far as possible. I've said this before: anyone designing the social care system from scratch would not design it as we have it at the moment, but, obviously, we need to work with partners in local government, work with partners in the Association of Directors of Social Services. Everyone wants to work together to see what we can do to make this better. You asked about unpaid carers as well, and, yes, certainly, we owe them far more than just words. We owe them a better life, because they do save government and they save society billions of pounds. We are going to be publishing the new national strategy for unpaid carers in November, which is going to be setting out a number of areas, including tying in our response to the previous Senedd's Health and Social Care Committee's report. That's going to be looking at improving carers' assessments, access to respite, support for carers to stay in paid employment, and there'll be a particular focus on young carers as well. The day centre services—it's something I've been really concerned about in the past as well. And I know, obviously, that this is a decision for individual local authorities. It is something I'm very interested in, and I've certainly heard testimony from a number of people about the effect that that can have on their lives. You asked about prevention and the ways in which my colleague the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care and I would be working with the Cabinet Minister for local government. There are a number of grants, like the regional integration fund and other grants, that look at how we can invest in a greater way in prevention, and it's something that we are really keen to take forward. And finally—oh, no, penultimately—on the academy, there will, certainly, and I'll be able to publish more information on this shortly, I hope, in terms of the elements of this that are going to be coming—I don't like the phrase 'coming online'—that are going to be becoming delivered then, as this progresses. It is something really exciting though, and it's something where we are leading the way. There are already lots of local academies across Wales, so lots of this already exists; we just want to bring it together into a national system, delivered locally. And finally, yes, I am very happy to commit to regular updates on this. Diolch.
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Diolch, Jayne. And before I start, I realised there was one thing I didn't answer James on, which was the funding. I can confirm that it's £3.6 million on top of the package of existing funding streams that is involved in this. Diolch, Jayne, for your comments and your questions. And as you said at the start, this isn't about structures alone, is it? It's about people being able to live their most fulfilled lives possible—people being able to live as independently as they can for as long as possible. It is about making people's lives better. And I am really glad and grateful for your signal of support for the general vision here. And, again, I know that there will be individual areas where Members from across the Senedd of all parties will want to be interrogating, and that's you doing your jobs. I want you to be doing this; I want you to be pushing us to be more ambitious and seeing what things are working well and what we need to be improving. But where we can have unity of support for that overarching vision, whether it is the package or the individual elements within it, then I think that that is something, actually, really valuable. I know that unpaid carers are a particular concern and passion for you and I'm really looking forward to being able to publish more of that detail in the strategy in November. And as I've said already, the Welsh Government has invested £13 million to help ensure carers receive the support they need in 2026-27, funding the short breaks scheme, carers support fund; an extra £7.35 million—sorry—that was included through the regional integration fund. There are lots of, as I say, individual ways in which the Government continues to support these vitally important people in our society, but we need to go further, of course. I do welcome, as you have welcomed, Prime Minister Andy Burnham's focus on this. And yes, Wales has been ahead, but it doesn't matter who announced things first. The fact is that there is a moment here for us to be able to work together, and I really hope that that will be taken up. I've written to Yvette Cooper, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to seek a bilateral ministerial discussion on social care reform, because I think we need to maximise this moment and the opportunities. And I know that a number of Members in this Chamber have already been involved in a cross-party discussion on the future of social care in Wales, and I again extend that invitation to representatives from all parties for those discussions to continue. In terms of the maximum charges, as you set out, for care and support, Wales, again, is ahead of England here, but that isn't enough. We shouldn't rest on our laurels, of course. We need to be making sure—. Because every time I answer a letter saying, 'Oh, well, actually, this is the situation at the moment, and we're in a more advantageous position', it doesn't make it easier, though, does it, for the families who are having to lose so much money in order to give care to the people that they love. And finally, in terms of the demographic picture that we have in Wales, in terms of the fact that people are living longer, that people are living, as you said, with more complex health and care needs, more families are balancing work, family life, caring responsibilities—we need to modernise the system. This isn't something that is going to go away. It's only going to get more serious and more needed. And you had asked me about how we can improve integration and make sure that the integration between health and care is working well. So, our pathways of care delay data is being used to understand the system-wide discharge challenges, the capacity constraints, variations in performance across Wales. I know that, in 2025-26, £30 million has been invested through the pathways of care transformation grant to support those improvements. We want to drive that further, and I really hope that there'll be cross-party support for that work.
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Diolch eto, Jayne.
Official English translation
Thanks again, Jayne.
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Diolch, Natasha. I'm sorry that you think that it's weak. We're talking about stuff here that we can't afford not to do. This is about making people's lives better. It's about making sure that people can have a better quality of life. What on earth are we here for if not to do something like this? But I'll move on to the questions that you have asked. I'll talk you through some of the ways in which the package that I have announced today is going to be making real differences to people's lives. In terms of the social care academy, that will help recruitment. It will help with the retention of care workers. And it will help to build esteem for that workforce, because one of the things—and it's come up already a few times today—one of the things that is maddening is that during the COVID pandemic, everyone had this moment of appreciating care workers. And we all went out into the streets, we applauded them. And somehow in our collective psyche as society, people have allowed themselves to forget that importance. These are the people who keep our society going. So, that academy is going to be, yes, about giving that career progression, but it's also going to be about giving that greater gravitas and esteem to the profession too. And again, I'm looking forward to being able to announce further detail on that. But that is something that I hope we would have cross-party support on. And I know that there's a lot of interest from our neighbouring countries about how the local academies are already working and how we're going to be bringing that through to a national picture. On the social care intelligence hub, that's going to, again, help strengthen planning, help to identify risks and pressures. The work of the pathways of care intelligence, that's going to improve discharge processes from hospital to address capacity constraints. The work on unpaid carers is going to improve how early people are identified as unpaid carers, how well they're assessed in terms of the support that they're going to get. Each of these actions is going to make a material improvement in people's lives. Every single one of these things will make a difference. In terms of assessing what we're doing and finding better ways of how things could work, all of this work is fundamental, because otherwise we will be trying to build a castle on sand—and not just sand, but quicksand, because it is moving under our feet all the time. We have to make sure that the foundations dig deep into the ground. That's why this planning work is so vitally important. But you asked some other questions too. On dementia, I won't repeat what I've already said in terms of the pathways of care. You did ask about future funding, which is a fair question, certainly. We're going to be carrying out detailed modelling work to understand how the changes to care charging could affect people in the future, and that's going to be assessing the financial, distributional, operational impacts of different charging and funding options. Where more sophisticated analysis will be required, we're going to be commissioning that through specialist external expertise. And so, from April 2027, a dedicated social care intelligence hub is going to be strengthening that modelling, that analytical capacity. A number of the other questions that you had asked in terms of the workforce, in terms of how we're going to be making sure that that capacity is driven up, the social care academy is going to be doing an awful lot of that work. I hope very much that I and other Members will be able to convince you of the really important need for this work. But I thank you for your questions.
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Diolch i chi, Elfed. Mae'n flin gen i fy mod i'n gorfod cael fy nghefn tuag atoch chi wrth ymateb. Dwi'n cytuno y dylem ni sicrhau bod y system yn un llawer mwy deniadol ar gyfer cael mwy o bobl i mewn i'r gweithlu, a dwi'n cytuno hefyd y bydd angen i'r holl leisiau rŷch chi newydd fod yn sôn amdanyn nhw i gael eu clywed yn rhan o'r foment yma, achos mae yna gyfle. Ac eto, dwi'n gobeithio y bydd y cyfuniad o'r gwaith rŷn ni wedi'i wneud yn barod yng Nghymru, y gwaith rŷn ni'n parhau i'w wneud, a'r momentwm sydd yn cael ei hybu oherwydd beth sy'n digwydd ar lefel San Steffan—. Oes, mae lot o ohirio, ond dal, dylem ni gymryd mantais o'r foment yma, a dwi'n gobeithio bydd y ddau beth yn gallu plethu mewn ffordd fydd yn dda ar gyfer pawb, a buaswn i'n croesawu'r drafodaeth gyda chi fel cadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol, yn sicr. Felly, diolch i chi, a diolch am eich gwaith yn y maes.
Official English translation
Thank you, Elfed. I apologise that I'll have my back to you as I respond. I agree that we should ensure that the system is far more attractive in order to attract people into the workforce, and I agree that all of the voices that you've just mentioned need to be heard at this very moment, because there is an opportunity. And again, I hope that the combination of the work that we have done already in Wales, the work that we continue to do, and the momentum happening because of what's happening in Westminster—. Yes, there have been some postponements, but still, we should take advantage of this moment, and I very much hope that the two things can dovetail in a way that benefits everyone, and I would welcome a discussion with you as chair of the cross-party group, certainly. So, thank you very much, and thank you for your work in this area.
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Diolch, Nigel. In terms of the final challenge that you put to me there, it is of course a fair one: we shouldn't ever be, and I would never want to be, measuring the work that we are doing here in terms of just structures or what's written down on a piece of paper. It has to be in what difference it makes to the reality of people's lives—people who are really struggling in society and need this support. As you've said, our front-line workers are under tremendous pressure and there are far too many people who are able to leave hospital and are not leaving hospital because of delayed discharges. It is not good enough and we need to do better. I do agree with you. In terms of these structures that I've been announcing, each of these is going to be necessary in order to encompass the work that we are doing. I don't want us to be measuring just the structures, but they are more than just bodies. They are about making sure that the work that we do, that it works together properly. When we talk about a national intelligence hub, that's not just for the sake of having a national intelligence hub. It's to make sure that we can see the patterns of, 'Okay, so, where could these discharges be improved here? What is'—sorry, I'm not in front of the microphone—'happening in this local health board area? Is this happening somewhere else? Is this a national problem? Is this something where we need to be targeting support?' I go again back to the point that it is greater than the sum of its parts, but it only will be greater if it truly delivers for people. There will be demonstrable ways in which people will be able to see improvements over the course of this Senedd term. It's similar to the safeguarding announcement that I made a few weeks ago. Okay, there are some elements—. For example, the hub will be coming in in April 2027. I hope that, certainly within months of that coming live, we would be able to see demonstrable improvements. I would really welcome Members' thoughts, both from the committee and Members more generally, about what would be the best ways for the Senedd to continuing scrutinising how this develops. This is something that goes beyond any Government and goes beyond any party. We have to get this right for our society, so I would welcome further conversations on that. Thank you.
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Diolch, Kiera. Yes. The short answer is, yes, certainly I will work with counterparts on this. Overseas workers should be valued. They should be treated no differently from workers who have been recruited domestically. They help make people's lives better. They make such a huge contribution to our society. No employer should be exploiting their status in order to, in some way, save money. I do not blame you for being lost for words. We have published guidance and resources to help workers understand their rights, but I appreciate that, in many of these situations, these workers will be in a very vulnerable situation and might not feel that they know where to turn. I would implore them to know that a range of assistance is available, including the National Advisory Service for international social care workers. That provides advice, it provides information. We also work very closely with our trade union partners, who provide such important support and advocacy for overseas workers. I am really grateful that you have raised this issue today, because it should shame us all that this is happening.
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Diolch, Catherine, for those questions. I know that there were a few other points that I won't repeat, but I appreciate why you're asking them, of course. In terms of the safeguarding point—and I appreciate that you've raised this before—the system is very much meant to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Of course we wouldn't want to have unintended consequences to come as part of this, and I know that this is something that you're really concerned about. I wonder if you could write to me with the individual concerns that you have, because I'd really like to look into those, to make sure that something that we don't intend isn't going to happen. Would you mind writing to me so that I can look into that in some detail? Diolch.
10
Open this sitting on the stage
1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Diolch, Art. Baby Loss Awareness Week is a really important opportunity to remember much-loved babies and to recognise the experiences of bereaved families. Alongside ongoing actions to improve support for families, plans are in place for the illumination of the Welsh Government building in Cardiff for the wave of light on 15 October.
1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Diolch, Art. I'm really grateful that you've raised this seriously significant issue. And in terms of the specific point that you made there, I know that there are some of these areas that would be in Westminster Government control, some in Welsh Government control, but anything that we can do to encourage that to happen, absolutely, I would be supportive of that. I cannot begin to imagine the pain a mother or father goes through when they lose a baby. Baby Loss Awareness Week is a very timely moment for each of us to remember the hidden grief that too many parents carry beneath the surface of their daily lives: the loss that doesn't lessen with time, the birthdays or due dates that they will mark each year, the little lives that didn't start, but have stayed with them every day since they lost them. We cannot know the grief another person goes through. We owe it to those parents that their babies are remembered. The Member has talked about needing to work with bereaved families. I support that idea intrinsically. I've held several meetings with Sands and with bereaved families, and I am determined to keep working with them to ensure that bereaved families help to shape what we do in this area. Nothing—nothing—can lessen the loss that they have suffered, but they want to fight to make things better for other families in the future. And my God, I want to help them to do that.
1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Diolch, Vikki. That's also a really timely and important question, and I agree utterly with what you said there, that the devastation and grief that a parent, a family, goes through can never be defined by something arbitrary like a calendar. I think that there are many ways in which we can ensure, whether that is—. I'd be interested to see what we can do in terms of signs, and things like that, in areas of hospital wards. But I think that's a really important challenge, actually, and I'd like to go away and think a bit more about how we can use every possible opportunity to ensure that families know that that is there. Because there's no point in it being there if—. This theme comes up very often in the Chamber. If people don't know it's available, then what on earth is the point of it being there in the first place? I'll take that challenge. Thank you for raising that to see how we can use every opportunity to make sure families know about it. Diolch, Vikki.
1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care cy
Diolch am hwnna, Sara, ac ymddiheuriadau unwaith eto fy mod i'n gorfod cael fy nghefn tuag atoch chi pan dwi'n eich ateb chi. Fel roedd Sara'n dweud, byddwn i eisiau estyn fy nghariad innau hefyd at y rhieni hynny sydd yn gwylio, ac i ddiolch i drefnwyr nid yn unig y digwyddiad mae Sara wedi sôn amdano, ond trefnwyr digwyddiadau dros Gymru sydd yn digwydd ac sy'n rhoi cymaint o gefnogaeth i rieni sydd yn dioddef.
Official English translation
Thank you for that, Sara, and apologies that I have to have my back to you when I'm responding to you. As Sara said, I would like to extend my love to those families who are watching, and to thank the organisers not only of the event that Sara mentioned, but also events across Wales that are happening and that provide so much support to bereaved parents.
1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Every family who face pregnancy and baby loss has to have that support that is compassionate, that is consistent no matter where they live, as the Member has alluded to. The 'National bereavement care pathway' that we've published set out the standards of care that families should receive across Wales, and there are pathways on sudden and unexpected death, on children and young people, on pregnancy and baby loss, and they are there with the aim to support a more consistent approach across the country. We're working with health boards, NHS Wales and Sands to support how that is rolled out and to monitor how it is delivered. Every health board has a named bereavement lead in place, and, again, we are continuing to work with the NHS, local authorities and the third sector to strengthen those bereavement services and to make sure that there is not variation. Families have to receive the care that they need, and I know that that need doesn't go away when someone leaves hospital. The journey of grief is one that they will be on throughout their lives, and we owe it to them to walk with them when they tread that difficult path.
6. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Family Drug and Alcohol Courts cy
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A diolch i Tom am ddod â'r ddadl yma gerbron y Senedd, a diolch i'r Aelodau sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y ddadl eithriadol o bwysig yma. Fel pobl eraill, fe wnes i ddilyn datblygiad y cynllun peilot a chael fy hun yn gofyn cwestiynau tebyg i rai o'r cwestiynau sydd wedi cael eu codi heddiw. Mae'r dystiolaeth i gefnogi'r model yn gryf. Daeth gwerthusiad y cynllun peilot i'r casgliad y dylid ehangu'r ddarpariaeth yng Nghymru, fel rydyn ni wedi clywed. Mae'r profiad o'r llysoedd hyn yn Lloegr yn dangos canlyniadau cadarnhaol tu hwnt. Fe wnaeth comisiwn Thomas hefyd argymell y dylai dulliau datrys problemau gael eu defnyddio fel mater o drefn, ac y dylai llysoedd o'r fath gael eu sefydlu yng Nghymru. Wrth gwrs, roedd y gwerthusiad hefyd yn nodi bod sawl rhwystr a chymhlethdod yn perthyn i fodel y llysoedd. Mae hynny yn arbennig o wir yng Nghymru oherwydd y cyfuniad o gyfrifoldebau wedi eu datganoli a heb eu datganoli. Fe wnaeth y comisiwn argymell y dylai'r gyfraith sydd yn ymwneud â phlant a chyfiawnder teuluol yng Nghymru gael ei dwyn ynghyd mewn un system gyfreithiol gydlynol sy'n cyd-fynd â swyddogaethau ym maes iechyd, addysg a lles. Byddai datganoli cyfiawnder yn creu cyfleoedd i gynllunio gwasanaethau o amgylch anghenion Cymru, yn hytrach na dim ond atgynhyrchu trefniadau sydd wedi'u datblygu mewn mannau eraill. Mae'r profiad gyda'r llysoedd hyn yn dangos mai dim ond un ystyriaeth yw effeithiolrwydd, mae'n rhaid hefyd pwyso a mesur cynaliadwyedd, gofynion y gweithlu a chostau cyfle wrth benderfynu ar y ffordd fwyaf priodol o ddefnyddio adnoddau. Felly, nid yw hyn yn syml, ond mae gwaith yn mynd yn ei flaen yn y cyd-destun yma. Mae'r model yn gofyn am ymrwymiad gan awdurdodau lleol, y farnwriaeth a'r llysoedd. Mae'n gofyn hefyd am flaenoriaeth gan lawer o wasanaethau, gan gynnwys camddefnyddio sylweddau, cam-drin domestig ac iechyd meddwl.
Official English translation
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. And thanks to Tom for bringing this debate before the Senedd, and thank you to Members who have taken part in this vital debate. As others, I followed the development of the pilot scheme and found myself asking similar questions to those that have been raised today. The evidence to support the model is strong. The evaluation of the pilot scheme concluded that provision in Wales should be expanded, as we've heard. The experience of these courts in England demonstrates positive results. The Thomas commission also recommended that problem-solving approaches should be used routinely, and that such courts should be established in Wales. Of course, the evaluation also noted that there were many barriers and complications associated with the courts model. That is particularly true in Wales due to the combination of devolved and non-devolved responsibilities. The commission also recommended that the law relating to children and family justice in Wales should be brought together under one coherent legal system that is compatible with functions in the areas of health, education and welfare. The devolution of justice would create opportunities to plan services around the needs of Wales, rather than just reproducing arrangements that have been developed elsewhere. The experience with these courts demonstrates that effectiveness is only one consideration, we must also weigh up sustainability, workforce requirements and opportunity costs when making decisions on the most appropriate way of using resources. So, this is not simple, but work is proceeding in this context. The model requires commitment from local authorities, the judiciary and the courts. It also requires prioritisation from many services, including substance misuse, domestic abuse and mental health.
6. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Family Drug and Alcohol Courts en
We need to ensure, of course, that funding is available and is sustainable for whatever model we use, because in England the loss of funding has sadly seen some teams disband. This isn't exclusively a decision for the Welsh Government, but we are forefront in relevant conversations in Wales and in the development of the family justice strategy with the Ministry of Justice. Our priority is moving the whole family justice system to a more empathetic and understanding environment, where families feel supported and, crucially, that they have hope. Now, that requires a cultural and systemic change that is wider than just FDACs, of course, and that's already under way. There is so much more that can be done. Last year, the FDAC working group recommended work continues on problem-solving approaches and intensive support for families going through court proceedings. Dirprwy Lywydd, this is an evolving picture. It was discussed in more depth at regional workshops that were facilitated by the Centre for Justice Innovation earlier this year. The subsequent CJI report highlighted all three regions had a clear appetite for further exploration and development of FDAC problem-solving, trauma-informed approaches within public law proceedings in Wales. The report went on to recognise regional variation, system pressures and the need to build on existing good practice. Overall, the workshops identified a shared set of recommendations to guide the next steps, which will move forward under oversight of the family justice network. Recently, I met the Deputy First Minister and the Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution, who share policy interests in family justice. We intend to work closely together on reforms to the family justice system, some of which will closely align with those of colleagues in the UK Government, of course, through the family justice strategy.
6. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Family Drug and Alcohol Courts en
Of course.
6. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Family Drug and Alcohol Courts en
I regret the second part of that contribution. Look, I understand, of course, none of us want to cause harm to children, and we have to make sure that the decision that is made takes into account all of these different complexities. If I could be in a position today and say, 'Yes, we are able to do this', of course I would want to do that. I do acknowledge that there is really positive evidence around FDACs. The options that we need to consider within the Welsh context, which is what the working group have been looking at, need to look at additional structures and whether they would be the best option, looking as well at some of the approaches that have been taken in Scotland, that do follow different but maybe comparable models, and looking to see whether that would be possible. Of course, we need to make sure that whatever future approach that's taken complements existing provision, rather than adding any further complexity. We need to look at sustainability, workforce capacity. We're not delaying for delay's sake. It's so that we make sure that we get this right, although I do utterly appreciate the fervour that is in this Chamber about wanting to move quickly. I understand that entirely.
6. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Family Drug and Alcohol Courts cy
So, diolch, Jane, am hwnna. Mae ein rhaglen lywodraethu yn nodi bod atal ac ymyrryd yn gynnar yn ganolog i bob proses o ddatblygu polisi. Rŷn ni am weld system cyfiawnder teuluol sy'n cefnogi teuluoedd i aros gyda'i gilydd ac sy'n atal plant, eu rhieni a'u teuluoedd ehangach rhag mynd trwy drawma achosion llys. Mae llysoedd teulu cyffuriau ac alcohol yn cynnig model o gymorth dwys i deuluoedd pan fydd achosion llys wedi cael eu cychwyn. Ond yng Nghymru, mae ein Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014 eisoes yn cynnwys model tebyg, sef y gwasanaeth integredig cymorth i deuluoedd. Mae hwnna'n ymyrryd yn gynharach drwy roi cymorth dwys i deuluoedd sydd ag anghenion lluosog. Mae'r model hwn wedi esblygu ac mae yna ffurfiau gwahanol ohono ar gael ar draws Cymru. Felly, rwy'n bwriadu adolygu'r gwasanaeth hwn a chael trafodaeth agored am ba elfennau sy'n gweithio'n dda a beth sydd angen gweithio yn well. Mae'n amlwg fod rhai o'r rheini. Byddwn ni hefyd yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig i ddatblygu dull o ddatrys problemau mewn llysoedd teulu. Rŷn ni wedi dangos sut y gallwn ni sbarduno newid drwy gyflwyno llysoedd sy'n canolbwyntio ar y plentyn ledled Cymru, ac mae'r data wedi dangos bod hyn yn llwyddiannus. Fe wnaeth hyn sefydlu ffordd o weithio sy'n rhoi'r plentyn wrth galon y broses ac yn defnyddio dull datrys problemau. Mae hynny'n ein rhoi mewn sefyllfa dda i fanteisio ar y profiad a'r dysgu hwnnw yn y dyfodol. Dwi eisiau sicrhau yr Aelodau, Ddirprwy Lywydd, y bydd ein system cyfiawnder teuluol yn parhau i ganolbwyntio ar gadw plant yn ddiogel gyda'u teuluoedd ble bynnag mae hynny yn bosibl. Bydd gwasanaethau yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd i atal anghenion rhag dwysáu ac i helpu teuluoedd i wneud newidiadau y gellir eu cynnal. Pan fydd teuluoedd yn dod i gysylltiad â'r llysoedd, rydyn ni eisiau profiad mwy empathetig sy'n canolbwyntio ar y canlyniadau gorau i'r plentyn. Wrth gwrs, mae'r cyfrifoldebau hyn yn ymestyn ar draws gwahanol rannau o'r Llywodraeth a bydd angen cyfraniad gan y farnwriaeth a Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig. Bydd angen manteisio hefyd ar yr hyn sy'n cael ei ddysgu o'r model llys teulu cyffuriau alcohol a theuluoedd sydd â phrofiad uniongyrchol, a dwi'n dod i ben yma. Er bod y newid hwn yn gymhleth, dwi'n credu bod ein partneriaid yn rhannu'r un brwdfrydedd dwi wedi ei glywed ar draws y Siambr y prynhawn yma i gydweithio ac i symud y gwaith hwn yn ei flaen ar frys. Diolch.
Official English translation
So, thank you, Jane, for that. Our programme for government states that prevention and early intervention are central to all policy development processes. We want to see a family justice system that supports families to stay together and that prevents children, their parents and their wider families from going through the trauma of court cases. Drug and alcohol family courts offer a model of intensive support for families once court proceedings have been initiated. But in Wales, our Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 already includes a similar model, namely the integrated family support service. This intervenes earlier by providing intensive support to families with multiple needs. This model has evolved and different forms of it can be found across Wales. I therefore intend to review this service and have an open discussion about which elements work well and what needs to work better. Clearly, there are some of those. We will also work with the UK Government to develop a method of solving problems in family courts. We have shown how we can drive change by introducing child-centred courts across Wales, and the data have shown that this is successful. This established a way of working that puts the child at the heart of the process and uses a problem-solving approach. That puts us in a good position to capitalise on that experience and learning in the future. I want to assure Members, Dirprwy Lywydd, that our family justice system will continue to focus on keeping children safe with their families wherever possible. Services will work together to prevent needs from escalating and to help families make sustainable changes. When families come into contact with the courts, we want a more empathetic experience that focuses on the best outcomes for the child. Of course, these responsibilities extend across different parts of Government and a contribution will be required from the judiciary and the UK Government. There will also be a need to capitalise on what has been learned from the drug and alcohol family courts model and from families with direct experience, and I'm finishing here. Although this is a complex change, I believe that our partners share the same enthusiasm that I've heard across the Chamber this afternoon to work together and move this work forward urgently. Thank you.
14
Open this sitting on the stage
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Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Diogelu yw un o gyfrifoldebau sylfaenol pwysicaf unrhyw lywodraeth. Mae'n golygu gwneud yn siŵr bod gan bob plentyn, pob person ifanc a phob oedolyn sy’n wynebu risg yr hawl i fyw eu bywydau'n ddiogel rhag camdriniaeth, esgeulustod, camfanteisio neu niwed. Dyna pam mae diogelu yn dal i fod yn flaenoriaeth allweddol i'r Llywodraeth hon, a dyna pam mae cryfhau trefniadau diogelu yn ganolog i'n rhaglen lywodraethu. Heddiw, dwi'n cyhoeddi 'Diogelu Cryfach ar gyfer Cymru Fwy Diogel', sef rhaglen Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer tymor y Senedd hon i wella trefniadau diogelu ar draws y system gyfan. Mae'r rhaglen yn dwyn ynghyd ein gwaith i gryfhau trefniadau diogelu ar gyfer plant, pobl ifanc ac oedolion sy’n wynebu risg, a hynny o dan un fframwaith gwella. Mae'n cydnabod, er y gall cyfrifoldebau diogelu fod yn wahanol ar draws gwasanaethau a sectorau, fod yn rhaid i arweinyddiaeth effeithiol, gwybodaeth, atebolrwydd, dysgu a phrofiad bywyd fod yn ganolog i'r system ddiogelu gyfan. Yn ddiweddar, mae adolygiadau diogelu, arolygiadau, ymchwiliadau ac adolygiadau ymarfer wedi dangos cryfderau ein trefniadau diogelu, yn ogystal â'r canlyniadau difrifol pan fydd y trefniadau hynny'n methu. Ar yr un pryd, mae'r risgiau y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu yn dal i esblygu. Mae mathau newydd o gamfanteisio yn dod i'r amlwg. Mae disgwyliadau'r cyhoedd yn cynyddu, a hynny’n briodol. Rhaid i'r systemau sydd wedi'u cynllunio i amddiffyn pobl barhau i addasu a gwella.
Official English translation
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Safeguarding is one of the most fundamentally important responsibilities of any government. It's about ensuring that all children, young people and adults who are at risk have the right to live their lives safe from abuse, neglect, exploitation or harm. That is why safeguarding remains a key priority for this Government, and that is why strengthening safeguarding arrangements is central to our programme for government. Today, I'm announcing 'Stronger Safeguarding for a Safer Wales', the Welsh Government's whole-system safeguarding improvement programme for this Senedd term. The programme brings together our work to strengthen safeguarding arrangements for children, young people and adults who are facing risk, and does so under a single improvement framework. It recognises that while safeguarding responsibilities might differ across services and sectors, there is a need for effective leadership, intelligence, accountability, learning and lived experience to be at the heart of the whole safeguarding system. Recently, safeguarding reviews, inspections, inquiries and practice reviews have demonstrated the strengths of our safeguarding arrangements, as well as the devastating consequences when those arrangements fail. At the same time, the risks that people face continue to evolve. New forms of exploitation are emerging. Public expectations are rising, and rightly so. The systems designed to protect people must continue to adapt and improve.
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Our commitments are clear. Children's voices must be heard and must be acted on. The signs of abuse must be recognised earlier. Lessons have to be learned when safeguarding concerns arise, and we are committed to taking forward duties to report child sexual abuse. Those commitments remain central to our approach. This Government is clear that safeguarding cannot simply be an aspiration, it must be demonstrated through action. Every review provides lessons that must be learned. Every inspection identifies chances that might have been missed, opportunities for improvement. Every safeguarding incident demands reflection and action. But if we respond only to individual events, we risk creating a system that is reactive rather than preventative. Our ambition must be greater than that. We need a safeguarding system that continuously learns, identifies risks earlier, shares intelligence effectively and acts before harm escalates. We need a safeguarding system that is joined up, accountable and ensures that lessons lead to consistent improvement across Wales. That is why the strengthening safeguarding governance review that was led by Jan Pickles has been so important and continues to be important. The review found that while Wales has strong legislative foundations, safeguarding governance has become fragmented, with inconsistent intelligence arrangements, limited national oversight and a need for clearer accountability.
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Mae'r Gweinidog Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal a minnau wedi derbyn argymhellion cam 1 yr adolygiad. Mae’r cyfle sydd o'n blaenau yn fwy na gweithredu argymhellion unigol, wrth gwrs, mae'n gyfle i gryfhau'r system ddiogelu yn ei chyfanrwydd a sicrhau ei bod yn addas i ymateb i risgiau heddiw ac i heriau'r dyfodol. Mae’r rhaglen diogelu cryfach ar gyfer Cymru fwy diogel wedi'i chynllunio i gyflawni hynny. Mae’n dod â'n hymrwymiadau ni, y gwersi a ddysgwyd a chanfyddiadau’r adolygiad i gyd at ei gilydd mewn un rhaglen i ddiwygio'r maes diogelu. Mae ei phwrpas yn glir, fel dwi wedi'i ddweud: cryfhau arweinyddiaeth, gwneud y system yn fwy cydlynol, hybu effeithiolrwydd diogelu, a sicrhau—ac mae hyn yn ganolog, Ddirprwy Lywydd—fod lleisiau plant, pobl ifanc, oedolion sy’n wynebu risg, dioddefwyr a goroeswyr yn siapio'r gwasanaethau sydd wedi'u cynllunio i'w hamddiffyn. Mae'r rhaglen wedi'i llunio o amgylch pedwar uchelgais: arweinyddiaeth ac atebolrwydd cryfach o ran diogelu; trefniadau diogelu clir a chyson ledled Cymru; system sy’n dysgu ac yn gwella; a gwrando ar blant ac oedolion a gweithredu’n gynharach. Bydd yr uchelgeisiau hyn yn cael eu cyflawni drwy raglen o weithgarwch fesul cam ar draws tymor y Senedd hon. Gyda'i gilydd, fe fyddan nhw’n creu'r sylfeini ar gyfer gwella'r system yn y tymor hir.
Official English translation
The Cabinet Minister for Health and Care and I have accepted the recommendations from phase 1 of the review. The opportunity before us is not simply to implement individual recommendations, of course, it's an opportunity to strengthen the safeguarding system as a whole and ensure that it is equipped to respond to the risks of today and the challenges of the future. The stronger safeguarding for a safer Wales programme is designed to achieve that. It brings together our commitments, lessons learned and review findings together into a single programme of safeguarding reform. Its purpose is clear, as I've said: to strengthen leadership, to make the system more coherent, to promote the effectiveness of safeguarding and to ensure—and this is central, Deputy Llywydd—that the voices of children, young people, adults at risk, victims and survivors shape the services designed to protect them. The programme is structured around four ambitions: stronger leadership and accountability for safeguarding; clear and consistent safeguarding arrangements throughout Wales; a system that learns and improves; and listening to children and adults and acting earlier. These ambitions will be delivered through a phased programme of activity across this Senedd term. Together, they'll create the foundations for improving the system over the long term.
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A key element of the programme will be the establishment of a ministerial safeguarding oversight and assurance board. This will strengthen national leadership, accountability and oversight of safeguarding risks across Wales, ensuring a clear line of sight between safeguarding intelligence, system performance and ministerial assurance. We will establish a dedicated safeguarding function within a national social care intelligence hub. The hub will bring together intelligence, data, evidence and lessons from across Wales. It will strengthen our ability to identify emerging risks, understand patterns of harm and support more informed decision making across the safeguarding system. It will also help ensure that lessons from reviews, inspections and wider safeguarding activity are translated into action. We will also develop a national safeguarding plan and a national safeguarding risk register. Together, these will provide a clear national framework for safeguarding improvement, helping to align priorities, strengthen accountability and support greater consistency across Wales. The programme will also create the conditions for future reform. And this will include our intention to consult on proposals for an adult and child protection authority for Wales, helping to inform the future shape of safeguarding arrangements in Wales. Alongside these developments, we will continue to take forward our commitment to strengthen duties to report child sexual abuse. This delivers on our manifesto commitment and builds upon the recommendations of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.
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O'u hystyried gyda'i gilydd, mae'r datblygiadau hyn yn adlewyrchu dull system gyfan o wella diogelu. Fe fyddan nhw'n helpu Cymru i symud tuag at system ddiogelu sy'n rhagweithiol yn hytrach nag adweithiol, yn ataliol yn hytrach nag ymatebol, ac sy'n cael ei llywio gan wybodaeth, dysgu ac atebolrwydd. Un o'r negeseuon cliriaf sy'n deillio o adolygiadau, arolygiadau a phrofiad bywyd yw bod yn rhaid i wersi sbarduno newid. Yn rhy aml, mae gwersi o adolygiadau, ymarfer, arolygiadau a data yn parhau i fod wedi'u gwasgaru ar draws sefydliadau a sectorau. Bydd yr hwb gwybodaeth gofal cymdeithasol cenedlaethol yn cryfhau dull sy'n dysgu o bob achos. Ein nod fydd sicrhau bod y gwersi hyn yn cael eu troi’n gamau gweithredu, bod partneriaid diogelu yn cael eu cefnogi i ymateb yn effeithiol i risgiau sy'n dod i'r amlwg a bod pobl ledled Cymru yn cael eu hamddiffyn yn well rhag camdriniaeth, esgeulustod, camfanteisio a niwed. Ac un o nodweddion pwysicaf y rhaglen hon fydd yr ymrwymiad i sicrhau bod lleisiau pobl yn cael eu clywed a bod gweithredu'n digwydd yn sgil hynny. Dyma oedd yr ymrwymiad eto yn ein maniffesto, ac mae'n parhau i fod yn ganolog i'n gweledigaeth ar gyfer diogelu yng Nghymru.
Official English translation
Taken together, these developments represent a whole-system approach to safeguarding improvement. They will help Wales move towards a safeguarding system that is proactive rather than reactive, preventative rather than responsive, and a system that is driven by intelligence, learning and accountability. One of the clearest messages emerging from reviews, inspections and life experience is that lessons must drive change. Too often, the lessons of reviews, practice, inspections and data remain dispersed across organisations and sectors. The national social care intelligence hub will strengthen an approach of learning from every case. Our aim will be to ensure that these lessons are translated into action, that safeguarding partners are supported to respond effectively to emerging risks and that people across Wales are better protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm. And a defining feature of this programme will be the commitment to ensure people's voices are heard and acted upon as a result. This was the commitment again in our manifesto, and it remains central to our vision for safeguarding in Wales.
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Children, young people, adults at risk, victims and survivors often have the clearest understanding of how safeguarding systems work in practice and where they need to improve. Their voices must never be an afterthought. They must be central to how safeguarding services are designed, scrutinised and improved. That's why lived experience will be embedded throughout this programme. The experiences of all victims and survivors will help shape that improvement, that accountability and those future developments of the system, because safeguarding systems should not simply work on paper. They should be shaped by the people they exist to protect. Dirprwy Lywydd, ultimately, this programme is about building a stronger safeguarding system for Wales, a joined-up system that learns, rather than reacts, a system that identifies risks earlier and listens to people's experiences, a system that provides stronger protection and better outcomes for children, young people and adults at risk. Stronger safeguarding for a safer Wales is our commitment to creating the conditions for better protection, stronger accountability and improved outcomes for children, young people and adults at risk across Wales. We owe it to them to get this right. Diolch.
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Diolch, Claire. As you've said, safeguarding is indeed one of the most profound requirements and responsibilities of any Government, and indeed of any Senedd too, in terms of the responsibilities that each of us have to represent those people who have put their trust in us. It is something that we as a Government take incredibly seriously, and I'm really gratified to hear again that I hope that there will be cross-party agreement on the need to get these things right. As you've alluded to here as well, people have to feel empowered to feel that they will be listened to if they report, and also, as you alluded to there, if a child has not themselves disclosed something, but someone suspects, that's why, again, we're going to be looking in the future at how to strengthen that mandatory reporting, so that where there are gaps, where there's a possible chance where something could be lost, we are making sure that we close those gaps in the net. So, absolutely, I agree. And you said too that the policy is only effective in terms of how it works in practice, and, indeed, children do face increasing risks. Safeguarding risks are now cutting across different organisations, different geographical divides, different service boundaries. Child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, online harms, modern slavery, complex adult safeguarding concerns—these have become so complicated, we need this stronger national leadership and co-ordinated action. This programme sets to look at that overarching structure, and it is going to develop, and I hope very much that the Senedd will continue to scrutinise how it does develop, and where Members have ideas, and where you can point us to people with further expertise who should be involved—this is something that is going to evolve over the course of the Senedd term, of course. And, yes, we have to be looking, of course, into how this is translated into workforce training, and I think that's a really important point. I'm really grateful to you for bringing some of the human voices into this debate, and as you have asked—. Well, in terms of making sure that we are acting as quickly as possible, that is why this is a phased programme approach, so that we can bring activities together where the practical improvements that can happen immediately can happen as quickly as possible, at the same time as establishing a structured route for those more complicated reforms, so that we're not waiting for one thing to happen before we are moving on with that. And absolutely, in terms of clear co-ordination and avoiding duplication, that is one of the main reasons why we're going to be introducing things like the central intelligence hub, and, of course, the ministerial oversight board, to make sure that we have that trosolwg—. What is 'trosolwg' in English? That oversight. I think it is literally 'oversight'. And in terms of some of the practical improvements that could be brought about by this, having that stronger evidence base to make sure that we're setting the right priorities and we're targeting improvements in the right place, and that we can spot those risks emerging. Because sometimes something might be seen as, 'Oh, this is only happening in this one area.' We need to have the oversight to see that. Actually, this is not just collecting data; it's about making sure that we are improving people's lives and improving services before something awful happens. In terms of who will oversee that work, that will sit underneath the national office, so that it doesn't sit in isolation. It will report to the ministerial assurance board. Now, a lot of this data is obviously going to be in the public domain already, but it's bringing that together. I think that the points you make about foster families and the wider workforce do deserve consideration, certainly, with that. No-one would want any unintended consequences to come about, so I wonder if you would be willing to write to me with some of those particular concerns, so that we could look into that in greater depth. I'd really appreciate that. Thank you, Claire. And of course, in terms of the review of the current effectiveness, that was what Jan Pickles's review had been looking at, and whilst we've committed, of course, to taking forward all of those recommendations, as I've said, this doesn't stand frozen in time. We have to keep learning. We have to keep seeing where there are gaps that need to be filled, where those risks keep evolving. So, this is something that—. I'm really proud that we are setting down this framework, but a framework is only going to exist if all of those components within it keep it erected in the air, afloat, depending on what the metaphor is. But, no, thank you, Claire. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
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Diolch, Lynne, and I know that this is something that—. You have tremendous expertise in this area and dedication over many years, and I thank you for that. Of course, what we are doing here is building on a lot of work that was done by the previous Government and, again, I'm grateful to you for leading a lot of that work. And in terms of how the—. I'm grateful that you've welcomed a number of the separate components of what I've been announcing today. You asked specifically a little more about how the central intelligence hub will work in practice. As I've set out, in terms of spotting patterns and gaps and helping to set priorities, a lot of this data or the intelligence already exists, but if we were to ensure that—. That would include things like insights arising from single unified safeguarding reviews. If we can bring those insights together to develop a greater national understanding of where different patterns are and where these risks are emerging, so that—. Because it's, deeply worryingly, something where so many risks evolve and emerge, we need to keep looking to make sure that something doesn't get lost or thought of as, 'Oh, well, that's something that is isolated. That couldn't possibly happen here.' We can never think in that way. And I suppose this intelligence hub, which would be under the National Office of Care and Support, would be—. We'd want a dedicated safeguarding arm of that to bring all of that intelligence together. It would do things like spotting risks that cross organisational boundaries, that cross geographical boundaries, and make sure that that evidence helps to set priorities nationally, and make sure as well that—. I said earlier that a lot of this information is already available publicly. We are going to be establishing—well, I think we're, certainly, looking at establishing—a number of task-and-finish groups to look at how exactly this data can be used, how we can be guided, and I would welcome any Members with expertise in this area, including you, Lynne, if you have thoughts on how that should evolve, I'd really like to draw on your expertise with that. You asked particularly about 'Our Bravery Brought Justice' and the voice of the child, which, if there is one thing that is a common theme running throughout this work and this, whether we look at it as a structure, whether we look at it as architecture, the fundamental cornerstone of all of it is making sure that children, when something goes wrong, either their voice is heard if they've raised that concern themselves, or someone is looking out for them and that gets heard and that gets spotted. It is something that—. I'm really determined that we have to make sure that this system is informed by those voices. If we look at 'Our Bravery Brought Justice', the name of that report says it all. Children should never have had to have been that brave in the first place. We have to make sure that something like that doesn't happen again. We have to take every action possible to try to make sure that that doesn't happen again. And again, very often, we need to make sure that the services we have—. Even if they're well-meaning, they're not always trauma-informed, they're not always person-centred. We need to make sure that this is something that, again, as you have alluded to, is cross-Government. It's something that I'll be working really closely with the Cabinet Minister for education on, certainly, but across health, across social care, across so many different aspects, this is something that will come into so many elements of children's and young people's and adults' lives. Phase 2 of the review is looking at sport, at faith, at religious groups. We need to be looking across different sectors. You asked about statutory return-home interviews, and, yes, that is something that is definitely under consideration. I think it is £700,000 that has been set aside for the work on safeguarding, but there is other work from other budget expenditure lines that is coming together, because, of course, this is, again, a cross-Government initiative. But I would say, again, that there are Members across this Chamber who have had disclosures made to them, who have had horrendous experiences themselves or have known people who have gone through terrible things, and you will know more than anyone that we owe it to people who have gone through something terrible to get it right for people in the future. Their voices have to shape those improvements. So, diolch, Lynne, for those questions.
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Diolch, Natasha, for those questions. As you've said, this has to be about making improvements to people's lives. This can't just be about what's down on a piece of paper, it can't just be what is collected in graphs. It's about whether what is collected is analysed effectively, whether it leads to action and whether that action translates into saving and improving people's lives, because that's the stuff that we're really talking about here. So, none of us will lose sight of that, of course. You've alluded to cases in the past where too many missed opportunities have been missed opportunities to act. We have to learn from those. We have to do everything in our power to save children and adults at risk in the future. And, yes, this Government has committed to adhering to the law—always, of course. And we have also committed always to protecting those groups and those people who are at greatest risk and who are vulnerable in our society, and there are many facets to this. That is something that the Deputy First Minister has always been consistent on. In terms of what you asked about what this will mean for front-line staff, well, this, of course, will mean empowering front-line staff. Because there will be so many missed opportunities that staff themselves will have flagged, when different staff might have spotted something, whether that was in one area or the same patterns emerging in different places. This will mean that we are ensuring that those staff voices will be amplified and that they won't be standing in isolation any more. And, of course, as I mentioned to Claire, we're going to have to look at training and making sure that staff, in order to be empowered, are able to use the—. To make sure that they are aware of how this is going to change their work, but it is about empowering them and not putting further burdens on them. Because, of course, a lot of this, in terms of—. You asked about capacity. This is workable because an awful lot of this is not creating new obligations; this is about when staff are spotting things, when staff are doing their jobs, that we are gaining that national picture and that we have greater cohesiveness across the piece. So, it isn't about creating new forms or anything like that that staff will need to fill in; it's about making sure that every contact counts and that every voice is listened to. You asked some specific questions about when, and I mentioned earlier that this is going to be a phased programme of work, so that where there are things we can do immediately, we can act very quickly on those at the same time as progressing some of the work that, as I've mentioned, is going to take further time and further consultation in some of these areas as well. In terms of the ministerial oversight board, the plan is to establish that certainly by the beginning of next year. In terms of the national safeguarding plan and the national risk register, the time frame—. So, I think that we are determining at the moment whether it will cover three years or five years, but there will be annual deliverables and it's something that we are going to be working on over the next two years to establish, in terms of making sure that we know what a good system looks like. Again, that is with the hope of consulting on an adult and child protection authority in the future. So, again, this is phased because we don't want to do something that is then going to—. We don't want to have to throw the baby out with the bath water. So, that is why—. And I hope I haven't asked—. And in terms of how children's voices will actually be listened to, whether they are actually going to matter in this process, as I mentioned to Lynne, we are going to be, I hope, establishing some task and finish groups to look at how exactly this can work. But we want a system that is more person centred, that's more accessible, that's more trauma informed, so that children don't have to keep retraumatising themselves by disclosing time and again about the same thing. We need to make sure that how the system itself is experienced improves and is made better, because of the voices of people who've gone through too many awful things in the past as well. As I said to Lynne, if there is one cornerstone in all of this structure, it is ensuring that children's voices and young people's voices, and adults at risk, that their voices shape structures and systems for the future. They will be central to all of this.
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Diolch am hwnna, Jane.
Official English translation
Thank you for that, Jane.
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Thank you so much for your expertise and your work for many years in this area. You mentioned at the start that there are too many children who have been let down by our system in the past, and the workforce and people like your husband, people who are working day in, day out to protect them, and to save more children's lives must be commended, and that has to be central. Child protection social workers, of course, are going to be central in all of this. What you've talked about there as well, in terms of ensuring that we work with children, that we learn from their voices, but also the voices of the people who support them. That has to be absolutely central to our approach. We're going to be working, of course, with lots of different partners, with the National Youth Advocacy Service, with Llamau, to make sure that we are learning every lesson possible and that there are no gaps in what we're doing.
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So, diolch, Jane, am godi hwnna.
Official English translation
So, thank you, Jane, for raising that.
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Diolch, Sera, and, as you said, listening alone cannot be enough. And the point has been made by Members across the Chamber that the measure of success is going to be where the children and young people and adults at risk and victims and survivors can see that their experiences have influenced decisions, have improved practice and that they lead to better outcomes. That is the measure of success here. And, of course, we want to make sure that lived experience goes further in influencing policy and that organisations, again, not only listen but demonstrate what they've done differently as a result. And the ministerial group will want a clear line of sight of this. You asked about overall scrutiny. There will be a really clear role for that in terms of internal to Government. I will be very interested to see what the Senedd proposes as well in terms of scrutinising this, because that will be of vital importance as well. A number of Members have asked for some practical examples about how this is going to help children and young people at risk. Maybe one example: safeguarding systems can be very difficult to understand and to navigate, and national programme materials could maybe, perhaps, help individuals to understand the safeguarding system. They could be shaped by the voices of those who have used these services in the past, so that children and young people would not have to be seeing this through the lens of something as frightening—that they would be seeing it shaped by children and young people who have gone through it themselves. But, again, all of these ideas are to be developed by that expertise. So, diolch, Sera.
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Diolch, Catherine, and it's a similar point, of course, that was raised by your colleague Claire, and of course that needs consideration to make sure that we don't have unintended consequences, and I do take that point, of course. The central, fundamental need here is for children's safety and the safety of individuals who are at risk to be at the centre of all of this. The intention here very much is that it will be further empowering those people who surround those children, and certainly not the opposite, which are the instances that you would have alluded to there. That is why the system will be iterative, why it will build with time to make sure that we are spotting any potential negative consequences that we would never want to happen. And again, if any Members have concerns about things that you would like officials and for me to be considering in greater depth, then please, if you could write to me, I would be very grateful. Thank you for raising that. Diolch, Llywydd.
25
Open this sitting on the stage
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Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Heddiw, dwi'n falch o roi diweddariad i’r Aelodau ac i'r Siambr ar y cynnydd ledled Cymru i wella profiadau babanod a theuluoedd sy’n derbyn gofal newyddenedigol, a hynny drwy siarter babanod Bliss. Dyma arwydd o’n hymrwymiad parhaus i wasanaethau diogel, tosturiol a theg, sy’n canolbwyntio ar deuluoedd.
Official English translation
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today, I am pleased to provide Members with an update on the progress being made across Wales to improve the experience of babies and families receiving neonatal care through the Bliss baby charter. This is a sign of our ongoing commitment to safe, compassionate and equitable services that are centred on families.
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Each year, around 2,800 premature and sick babies in Wales receive neonatal care. For many families, admission to a neonatal unit is one of the most fraught experiences they will ever have to face. Parents may spend weeks or months in hospital dealing with daily uncertainty about their baby's health while they balance travelling to and from the hospital, their job, any other caring responsibilities they have, their family life. In those most difficult of circumstances, the care and support that families receive has a lasting impact. Parents need clear information, they need practical and emotional support, and they need to have meaningful opportunities to be involved in their baby's care. Parents should never be treated as visitors but as vital to the care team. Because parents know their baby. They provide comfort, reassurance and continuity, and they have an important role in those decisions about the baby's care. Supporting that relationship is at the heart of the Bliss baby charter and the principles of family integrated care. I'm so pleased to report that all neonatal units in Wales are now engaged with the charter, either having achieved bronze accreditation or more, or submitted themselves for assessment. The charter is a practical programme that helps services place babies and families at the heart of units. It supports parents to participate in ways that reflect their circumstances and wishes, including hands-on care, involvement in decisions, accessible information and help to remain close to their baby. The charter is not simply about achieving an accreditation award. It gives a structured framework for neonatal teams to recognise good practice, to identify gaps and to agree practical actions for improvement. It encourages services to use families' experiences to shape care and support.
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Ym mis Medi 2025, fe wnaeth Llywodraeth Cymru roi bron i £100,000 i Bliss ar gyfer sefydlu rhaglen gwella gwasanaethau newyddenedigol genedlaethol i Gymru. Ers hynny, mae pob uned newyddenedigol naill ai wedi cyflawni achrediad lefel efydd neu wedi cyflwyno tystiolaeth i’w hasesu o dan siarter babanod Bliss. Mae hon yn garreg filltir bwysig i’r gwasanaethau hyn yng Nghymru. Ond nid dyna ddiwedd yr hanes. Rydyn ni wedi gweld rhagor o gynnydd eto: mae un uned wedi cyflawni achrediad lefel arian yn barod, ac mae tair uned arall yn paratoi i gyflwyno cais am asesiad ar y lefel hon. Felly, mae ymrwymiad ein timau i wella’n barhaus yn gwbl amlwg. Maen nhw’n awyddus i sicrhau bod babanod a theuluoedd sy’n derbyn gofal ganddyn nhw yn cael profiad gwell. Dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, mae Bliss wedi gweithio’n uniongyrchol gyda thimau mewn unedau dros Gymru gyfan. Mae unedau wedi cael cymorth i asesu eu sefyllfa yn erbyn safonau’r siarter, i gynnal adolygiadau ac archwiliadau, i nodi blaenoriaethau lleol, ac i ddatblygu camau ar gyfer gwella. Diolch i’r rhaglen, mae gan wasanaethau gyfle hefyd i rannu arferion da a’r hyn y maen nhw wedi ei ddysgu ar hyd y daith. Nawr, dyw pob uned ddim yn union yr un fath. Maen nhw’n amrywio o ran eu maint, maen nhw'n amrywio o ran y ddarpariaeth arbenigol sy’n cael ei chynnig ganddyn nhw, ac o ran eu cyfleusterau a’u hadnoddau, a’u staff. Maen nhw hefyd yn gwasanaethu gwahanol gymunedau. Mae’r siarter yn gosod uchelgais genedlaethol i bob uned ar y cyd, ond mae hi hefyd yn caniatáu i bob gwasanaeth yn unigol ganolbwyntio ar newidiadau a fydd yn gwneud y gwahaniaeth mwyaf yn lleol. Ni fyddai hyn yn bosibl heb ymroddiad staff yr unedau newyddenedigol ledled Cymru, a hoffwn i dalu teyrnged i ymrwymiad a gwaith caled y staff hynny. Bydd cyflawni’r rhaglen hon yn gofyn am arweinyddiaeth ac ymgysylltu parhaus, ochr yn ochr â’r pwysau dyddiol sy’n gysylltiedig â darparu gofal arbenigol. Mae nyrsys, meddygon, gweithwyr proffesiynol perthynol i iechyd, seicolegwyr, gweithwyr cymorth ac eraill yn gweithio gyda’i gilydd i roi mwy o bwyslais ar gynnwys teuluoedd wrth ddatblygu’r ddarpariaeth, a gwneud gwelliannau ystyrlon i ofal.
Official English translation
In September 2025, the Welsh Government provided almost £100,000 to Bliss to establish a national neonatal service improvement programme for Wales. Since then, every neonatal unit has either achieved bronze-level accreditation or submitted evidence for assessment under the Bliss baby charter. This marks an important milestone for these services in Wales. However, that is not the end of the story. We have seen further progress: one unit has already achieved silver-level accreditation, and three other units are preparing to submit applications for assessment at this level. Therefore, the commitment of our teams to continuous improvement is abundantly clear. They are keen to ensure that the babies and families receiving their care have a better experience. Over the past year, Bliss has worked directly with teams in neonatal units across Wales. Units have received support to assess their position against the charter's standards, to carry out reviews and audits, identify local priorities, and develop actions for improvement. Thanks to the programme, services also have the opportunity to share good practice and lessons learned along the way. Now, not every unit is exactly the same. They vary in size, they vary in the specialist services they provide, and in their facilities, resources, and their staff. They also serve different communities. The charter sets out a national ambition for all units, a shared national ambition, and, at the same time, it allows each individual service to focus on the changes that will make the greatest difference locally. This would not be possible without the commitment of staff in these units across Wales, and I'd like to pay tribute to the commitment and hard work of those members of staff. Achievement of this programme requires strong leadership and continuous engagement, alongside the daily pressures associated with providing specialist care. Nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, psychologists, support workers and others are working together to place a greater emphasis on including and involving families in the development of services, and delivering meaningful improvements to care.
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And we know, of course, that some parents will face additional barriers to being close to or involved in their baby’s care. These could include distance from their home, financial pressures, work, other caring responsibilities, language and communication needs, disability or difficulties in accessing accommodation and practical support. Equity is therefore central to the national programme. Bliss is developing bilingual resources, improving access to information and support for families in Wales, with particular attention to minority ethnic communities and areas of socioeconomic disadvantage. This will help services consider not only whether support is available, but whether every family can understand, can access and can benefit from that support.
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Mae siarter babanod Bliss yn cefnogi’r datganiad ansawdd ar gyfer gwasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol. Hwn sydd yn amlinellu ein gweledigaeth genedlaethol, sef darparu gofal diogel a theg sy’n canolbwyntio ar yr unigolyn. Argymhelliad y datganiad ansawdd yw y dylai byrddau iechyd ddilyn safonau’r siarter. Mae hefyd yn cydnabod bod gwrando ar brofiadau teuluoedd, a’u cynnwys, yn gwbl sylfaenol i sicrhau ansawdd a diogelwch. Mae’r gwelliannau sy’n deillio o’r rhaglen hon yn rhan o’n hymateb ehangach, wrth gwrs, i argymhellion adroddiad 'Y llwybr tuag at ddechrau mwy diogel yng Nghymru'. Mae’r gwaith hwnnw yn cadarnhau pwysigrwydd sicrhau trefniadau arweinyddiaeth genedlaethol gyson a llywodraethiant effeithiol. Mae hefyd yn cadarnhau pa mor bwysig yw hi ein bod ni wir yn gwrando ar deuluoedd, gan barhau i ganolbwyntio ar ddiogelwch, ansawdd a thegwch.
Official English translation
The Bliss baby charter supports the quality statement for maternity and neonatal services. This sets out our national vision of providing safe, equitable and person-centred care. The quality statement recommends that health boards should follow the standards of the Bliss baby charter. It also recognises that listening to families' experiences, and involving them, is fundamental to ensuring quality and safety. The improvements arising from this programme form part, of course, of our wider response to the recommendations set out in 'The path to safer beginnings in Wales' report. That work reinforces the importance of ensuring consistent national leadership arrangements and effective governance. It also confirms how important it is that we genuinely listen to families, while maintaining a strong focus on safety, quality and equity.
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Now, while today is an opportunity to recognise progress, the work is not complete. Bronze accreditation is an important foundation, but accreditation must not become an end point. Lasting improvement will depend on units continuing to listen to families, to review their practices, to measure the impact of any changes, and to build on what they have achieved. We have therefore secured continued funding throughout this financial year to further embed the national programme, to support units as they progress through the charter, and to strengthen the sustainability of improvements across health boards. During the next phase, Bliss will continue to provide tailored support to neonatal teams and strengthen access to bilingual information for families. Lessons from the programme will build an understanding of where individual units may require further assistance to meet the needs of their local population, and where common barriers may require national action. We will continue to expect clear evidence of progress. Now, as I've said, success cannot be judged solely by whether accreditation is awarded. It must be seen and felt in the experiences of babies and families—whether parents feel welcomed, informed and respected on the ward, whether they can participate in their baby’s care, and whether services listen and respond when families point out that things need to change. I am really grateful to Bliss for their partnership and their expertise, and to neonatal teams across Wales for their ongoing commitment. Most importantly, though, I thank the parents and families who've shared their experiences and helped to shape this programme for the sake of other families in the future. Their honesty and insight have been invaluable, so too has been their bravery. I am indebted to them and I thank them. Dirprwy Lywydd, every baby that is born prematurely or is unwell when they’re born deserves the best possible care, and every family deserves to be treated with dignity and compassion. The progress being seen through the Bliss baby charter shows what can be achieved when families, clinicians, health boards, the third sector and Government work together with a shared purpose. Now, we remain committed to supporting neonatal services across Wales to continue this journey to deliver the highest standards of care. Our ambition is clear that neonatal services in Wales should be clinically safe and effective, compassionate and equitable, and genuinely designed around the needs of babies and their families. Diolch.
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Diolch, Catherine. Welcome to your role. The work that is being carried out in neonatal units across Wales is indeed, well, absolutely life-changing. I think it would do us all good to pause and reflect on the phenomenal work that is happening across Wales right at this moment to save babies' lives. So, thank you for highlighting that. As you said—I was struck by your phrase—it becomes their entire world, that unit, exactly. We need to be making sure that those units, the environment that families and that parents are in, are welcoming, that they are comfortable and that families feel that it's not a hindrance for them to be there, that they are central to the whole thing. How this is rolled out in different units will vary because, of course, there are lots of different reasons why there will be local considerations. But, fundamentally, it's about making sure that parents and families feel that they are part of care, and I can go through some of the practical examples of how that can be done. You asked me about what exactly the situation is with different units, and I'm happy to provide the current position. So, all nine neonatal units in Wales are now engaged with the process, as I said. At present, Singleton Hospital and Wrexham Maelor Hospital have achieved silver accreditation. Ysbyty Gwynedd, Ysbyty Glangwili, the Princess of Wales Hospital, Prince Charles Hospital, the Grange University Hospital and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd have achieved bronze accreditation. The University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff has achieved pledge status and is working towards the bronze accreditation. Obviously, this is a staged improvement programme. You asked earlier about the possibility—and I hope that this will happen, indeed—that we will be seeing units progressing to gold and platinum status as well. That has to be our ambition, because our babies deserve nothing less than excellence in this. So, yes, I will absolutely be pushing to make sure—. Obviously, this is a matter that health boards will be monitoring, but anything that we can do nationally to be making sure that excellence is pushed for at all costs, then, yes, of course that is something that we will be very keen to look into. You mentioned the situation across the UK and that there are other places across the UK where gold and platinum have been achieved. Of course, this is a UK-wide programme. It has developed at different rates across nations, and the flip side of it, I suppose, is the fact that all neonatal units in Wales being engaged with the programme puts us, in some ways, in a better position than other nations. But we cannot be complacent about that at all. We have to make sure that these units progress through that journey. And when a unit has had that accreditation, that doesn't mean that accreditation has to stay; they have to be continually reassessed to make sure that the improvements are continuous and that they are consistent for families. You asked as well about keeping families together, and absolutely that is really important. I'll just share some of the practical examples of how units that have achieved the bronze accreditation and are moving further through the charter can do this. There are wards and units that have made it easier for parents to spend time with their baby with more flexible visiting arrangements, but some wards have actually introduced reclining chairs in the wards so that parents can stay as well. Absolutely, I'm really interested in the points that you made about accommodation, making that easier as well, and signposting to psychological support. All of these different components are going to be so vitally important. You said in closing that this is only going to be effective if families know that it exists. Absolutely, because what is the point of having something that is available if it doesn't benefit the families and the parents that need it? So, we need to be making certain, and this needs to be constantly monitored to make sure that this isn't just something that is signposted, but that people know it, it's on a Post-it. It's like the Call for Concern statement that I made a couple of weeks ago now, and those two elements are going to be working together really closely too. We have to be making sure that these environments are supportive, welcoming and lead to better care, so thank you so much.
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Diolch, Jayne, for those questions. I know this is something really close to your heart, as well. Indeed, as you say, and it is right to put that on the record again, the work that was undertaken by the previous Government on this was foundationally important here, and I'm really proud to be continuing with that work. I think it was an incredibly valuable foundation that was laid there. Of course, we want to go further than that. You asked, firstly, about funding. Now, as I've set out, for the second year, there is £52,000 that's been provided to support the implementation of Bliss in health boards. In terms of future funding, that is being considered as part of the broader maternity, neonatal programme planning and spending decisions, and this is clearly doing a lot of really good work, so I would be very open-minded to that, indeed. And I think we as a Government would be very open-minded to it, because we are committed to supporting improvements in maternity and neonatal services. So, that is something that we're keeping under very close review. In terms of what you had asked about different units and making sure that they're being supported to go further with the accreditation journey, that is something that absolutely has to be happening, because accreditation on its own is a milestone, but it's not an end point. And we need to make sure that it's a staged improvement programme, as I've said, and that's something that our NHS partners are going to be working really closely with different units, with different health boards on, to support that. It's something I'm going to be keeping a really close eye on as well. In terms of accommodation, as Catherine raised as well, already, I want to be making sure that any family, regardless of their circumstances, will be able to be involved in their baby's care. So, however we can be encouraging there to be initiatives to make sure that accommodation is part of this, of course it's something I'd be really interested in being involved in. And I would implore Members, if you are aware of circumstances where that has become a barrier, please write to me about it, because I think we need to see where—. Fundamental to Bliss is seeing where the gaps are, so it's about what can be done in the units themselves, but it's also about wider provision. So, please write to me if you see that there are gaps like that that are emerging. Thank you, as well, for talking about the early conversations pilots—something that I know, again, is really close to your heart. As I've confirmed before, we will be implementing 'The path to safer beginnings in Wales' report's recommendations in full and that will be over a period of time. Obviously, there are some that will have to be done at a much greater pace because of their urgency, but each of those recommendations are going to be implemented in full. You asked about the situation with midwifery, and I really recognise the significant workforce pressures that are being experienced across midwifery, maternity, neonatal and wider children's services. This is something that the Cabinet Minister and I, each of us, are really concerned about, and it is weighing heavily on us. We are encouraging health boards to maximise all opportunities, because, of course, we expect health boards to take all reasonable steps to maintain safe standards, to support staff, to ensure that workforce planning arrangements respond to current and future service needs. It's something that we are keeping under really close review. Finally, thank you for raising perinatal mental health. It's something that was very, very close to the heart of my predecessor in this role, Steffan Lewis. Again, if you or other Members are—. It's something I'm really passionate about, making sure that the support is there for mothers across Wales, so if you are noticing any gaps in provision, please write to me so that we can arrange— . And I make that offer, please, to Members across the Chamber, because it's something that we have to get right. Diolch, Jayne.
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Diolch, Natasha, and as you said at the start, it is an emotive area, and I really welcome the fact that there is cross-party support for the principles here. Of course, in terms of how it is rolled out in terms of how the accreditation progresses, all of you in the Chamber will want to be as fervently as me checking to see that that continues to progress, because this is something, as I say, we can't afford not to get right. That was an awkwardly phrased sentence, but this is something that is so important. As you said earlier too, I can't begin to imagine what it is like. There will be people in this Chamber and there will be people watching who have been through this. It is incumbent on all of us to make sure to take every action so that some of the most difficult moments in a person's life, in a parent's life, will be filled with compassion, with love, with support, with practical actions. There's nothing that can make that magically better, but each of the—. I'll go through again some of the steps that hospitals can take in supporting skin-to-skin care, which is sometimes known as kangaroo care—I love that—it can help support bonding, improving parental confidence, contribute positively to a baby's development. It's making sure that there's support there for feeding, for comfort care, for routine care, so that when the transition happens and when a baby is able to go home, the parents can feel supported and can feel more ready and more confident that they will know what steps they need to take every day to take care of their precious baby. In terms of communication, regular updates, you had raised again about accommodation. There's a reason why the same themes are coming up time and again. These are the things that are most vitally important to parents across Wales. We cannot afford to have a situation where families are facing these additional barriers. So, again, please, I would ask Members: when you come across examples, if there are examples of where this is not working well, please tell me, so that we can see what else can be done with this. You asked as well about future funding. Again, it is committed for this financial year. My colleague the finance Minister is in her place. I will not incur her wrath by speculating about future budgets, but it is something that we want to take—. We need, of course, to see how this works—[Interruption.] Yes, I name-checked you there. We need to make sure that we see how this roll-out keeps progressing. Again, there will be variations in different localities. I want to empower these units to be able to keep going on this journey on their own. We need to make sure—
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—eu bod nhw'n cael eu grymuso—
Official English translation
—that they are empowered—
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—and that they have those tools at their disposal to be able to do this. But of course, if we see that there is a need for us to consider that further, of course that's something we'd be open to. I can't know exactly how this is going to roll out in the future, but it's something, of course, we're going to be keeping really closely in mind. In terms of the psychological support, that is really vitally important. I've lost my place. I don't know which were your points and which were Jayne's. But in terms of making sure that when parents leave the units there is specialist psychological care available for them, this will be true regardless of what has happened with their baby. It can be a deeply traumatic—I can only imagine—experience for parents to come close to losing a baby as well, so they will need that wraparound care, and there's fantastic work that is happening across Wales. It's something that we really need to make sure that we're getting right. Diolch. If I have inadvertently missed one of your questions, please could you write to me? I didn't mean to. [Interruption.] Okay.
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Ocê, ac i fi fod yn gryno, dwi'n cymryd, hefyd.
Official English translation
Okay, and for me to be succinct too, I would imagine.
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Sorry, but awkwardly with the Chamber, I have to have my back to you when I'm answering you. Thank you, Sara, for sharing Chloe and Theo's story with the Chamber. We all know that neonatal admission can have that really lasting psychological effect and impact on parents and families. As has been raised by, I think, every Member so far in the Chamber, psychological support is a really vitally important component. That's why we've commissioned an independent evaluation of the Onnen service. That includes recommendations relating to neonatal workforce models and the contribution of specialist allied health professionals, including psychological services. That evaluation will help inform our understanding of current provision and future workforce requirements across Wales. Through the Bliss baby charter, we need to be looking again—this is something that many Members have raised—at the wider needs of families, emotional well-being, and making sure that people are signposted to support. Workforce deployment, of course, remains an operational matter for health boards, but we will continue to work closely with NHS Wales, health boards and partner organisations, including Bliss, to better understand again where those gaps are, to make sure that we make the improvements that we have to and that we need to.
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Janet, I am so sorry for the experience that you have just talked about in your family, and I think the thoughts of everyone in the Chamber will be with your family. I really hope everything will be all right. You also mentioned the incredibly distressing incident that's occurred at Bangor pier. I echo what you said. It is an extremely sad, extremely distressing situation. My thoughts, and I think the thoughts of everyone in the Chamber, are going to be with everyone who is affected by this. It is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, so I wouldn't be able to comment further on the specific circumstances, but the Welsh Government is being kept informed as the situation develops. Our immediate focus is on supporting everyone affected and allowing the investigating agencies the time and the space to establish the facts of an incredibly distressing incident. I agree with you; in terms of Bliss, there is a long way still for us to go, of course. I am determined that we have to see continued progress. We and I will work with all health boards to do everything we can to make sure of that.
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Diolch, Claire, for that. Indeed, in terms of the challenges that are going to be there for longer travel times for rural communities, as I said earlier, no two units will be the same, no two localities will be the same, and equity is a really important component of this, making sure that the different needs of different communities, and different communities within those communities too, are going to be addressed, and again, looking at socioeconomic disadvantage as well, looking at longer travel distances, looking at ethnic minority communities, looking at different languages, different accessibility requirements, accommodation—all of these components need to be working and need to be available to units where they're needed. In terms of celebrating the highlights, as you have just done, I think that that is fantastic, and thank you so much for putting that on the record. We need to be making sure that, again—and this theme keeps coming up—accreditation is not an end point. The way that Bliss is structured encourages units to be progressing further through. And also, if progress isn't sustained, then accreditation can be lost. So, we need to make sure that this isn't just making sure that we get the base level of accreditation. But I want to be in a Wales where every unit is excelling, and of course that's what we should be aiming for.
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Diolch yn fawr iawn, Mair, am rannu eich stori chi. Rydw i'n falch iawn i glywed bod y gofal roeddech chi wedi'i gael a'ch teulu wedi'i gael mor gefnogol i chi. Mae yna nifer o heriau rydych chi wedi sôn amdanyn nhw yn fanna o ran dewis iaith, o ran y ffaith roedd eich partner chi'n dal i weithio. Gallaf i ond dychmygu pa mor anodd oedd hwnna, felly dwi wir yn ddiolchgar i chi am rannu hynna gyda ni. Ond, fel roeddech chi'n dweud, pan mae hyn yn gweithio'n dda, bydd teuluoedd a rhieni yn cael eu cynnwys yng ngofal eu plentyn. Mae angen inni sicrhau bod—. Beth dŷn ni angen ei wneud yw cysoni hyn a sicrhau bod profiadau teuluoedd dros Gymru'r un mor gadarnhaol, achos bydd profiadau teuluoedd yn siapio fel mae hyn yn digwydd. Mae'n rhaid inni fod yn gwrando ar deuluoedd ac mae'n rhaid inni gymryd y feedback yna gan deuluoedd pan mae problemau'n digwydd er mwyn sicrhau bod prosesau a systemau a phobl yn dysgu o hynny, achos dylai pob teulu gael yr un gofal. Diolch, Mair.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Mair, for sharing your own story. I'm delighted to hear that the care that you and your family received was so supportive of your needs. There are a number of challenges that you've referred to there in terms of language of choice, the way your partner had to continue to work. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been, so I'm grateful to you for sharing that with us. But, as you said, when this works well, families and parents will be included in the care of their child. We need to ensure—. What we need to do is ensure consistency in this area and ensure that the experiences of families across Wales are just as positive, because family experience will shape how this works. We have to listen to families and we have to take that feedback from families when problems occur in order to ensure that processes, systems and people learn from those experiences, because every family should have the same care. Thank you, Mair.
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Diolch, Cristiana, for that, and what you described there in terms of the expectation and the hope that every mother will have, that this will be the moment that she has dreamt of, and the gap between that and what some mothers then go through and the really desperately painful reality that they would have to face, and what Mair had described a moment ago as well, about their baby being in an incubator on another ward and being surrounded by other mothers with their own babies, and emphasising that gap. I think that the design of wards is really fundamental here, and having that compassion built into how they are designed. Absolutely, no parent should ever feel like a visitor in their child's care, in their baby's care. As I've said earlier, this will only be deemed to be successful, by me or by anyone in this Chamber, if it leads to families feeling welcomed. And I know that's something very difficult. Of course, there are things that we can measure; they are the practical things that I've set out about how we can—. And it's very specific; I think there are more than 120 accreditation criteria that Bliss go through. But it's also about making sure that the experience of families has materially changed, that families feel part of care. So, it's, of course, about the criteria that you can put down on a piece of paper, but it's more than that too. So, thank you so much.
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Thank you so much for raising that really, really important point and for sharing those stories as well, because it is by sharing lived experiences that we need to see where things are going well and where people's lives have been materially improved. So, thank you so much for sharing that. Evidently—. And I know that you'll appreciate that commissioning is for local health boards, but of course it's something that we're keeping a really close eye on, because Cerebral Palsy Cymru is doing such fantastic work and changing people's lives. So, it's something that we're keeping a really close eye on, and I really value the fact that you've raised that today in the Chamber. Thank you so much.
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Diolch, Jane, ac, yn gyntaf, diolch am eich cefnogaeth chi hefyd. Mae fe'n codi calon bod yna feysydd fel hyn sydd yn uno pob person yn y Siambr yma, achos dŷn ni i gyd eisiau sicrhau dyfodol gwell i'n babanod ni. Felly, diolch am hwnna. O ran gweithlu arbenigol a sicrhau bod y sgiliau ieithyddol, fel roeddech chi wedi sôn amdanynt, ar gael, mae fe'n rhywbeth ar gyfer y byrddau iechyd, iddyn nhw sicrhau eu hunain. Ond dwi'n meddwl bod hwnna yn codi cwestiwn rili pwysig, felly buaswn i'n gofyn i chi—. Pe byddech chi'n fodlon ysgrifennu ataf i, efallai y bydden ni'n gallu cael sgwrs bellach am hwnna, achos mae fe'n rhywbeth dwi eisiau—. Dwi'n ceisio meddwl sut i ddweud hyn yn Saesneg.
Official English translation
Thank you, Jane, and, first of all, thank you for your support. It's heartening that there are areas like this that unify everyone in this Chamber, because we all want to ensure a better future for our babies. So, thanks for that. In terms of a specialist workforce and ensuring that the linguistic skills, as you mentioned, are available, this is something for the health boards to ensure themselves. But I think that that does raise some important questions, so I'd ask you—. If you would be willing to write to me, maybe we could have a further conversation about that, because that's something—. I'm trying to think about how to say this in English.
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I want to reassure myself that every step is being taken—
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—gyda hwnna. Felly, buaswn i'n ei werthfawrogi pe byddech chi'n gallu ysgrifennu, ac yna y bydden ni'n gallu cael sgwrs bellach. Fel dwi'n dweud, mae fe'n fater ar gyfer byrddau iechyd, ond bydden ni i gyd eisiau sicrhau bod pob cam yn cael ei gymryd. Felly, diolch, Jane.
Official English translation
—with that one. So, I'd appreciate it if you could write to me, and then we could have a further conversation. As I said, this is an issue for the health boards, but all of us would want to ensure that every action is taken. So, thank you.
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Diolch yn fawr iawn, Becca, and I'm sorry again I have to have my back to you when I'm answering, because of where the microphone is. I really appreciate how Members have shared both their own experiences with me and with the Chamber today, and also the experiences of constituents. I really am grateful to all of those constituents too for being willing to have their stories shared. I know that that is no small thing, and you have enriched our understanding, you have enriched our proceedings here this afternoon, and we are all so grateful to you, and we all send our very best wishes to you. In terms of Alexia and Maya's experiences, of course parents need to remain close to their baby, and that is a key principle of everything we've been talking about. It's a key principle of the Bliss baby charter. Of course, access to accommodation is something that has come up from a number of Members in how it can vary. Claire had raised this as well. It can vary across different services, different parts of Wales, it can create that additional stress and financial pressure for families when they least can cope with that. As I say, neonatal units are being encouraged to review how they are supporting family presence and participation in care, including practical issues like accommodation, particularly, again, for families who need to travel that extra distance. We as a Government will continue to work with Bliss and health boards and families to understand where those barriers remain—again, I encourage Members to write to me if you see those gaps emerging—and where further improvements might be needed, because no family should face any avoidable obstacle at this most difficult time.
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Diolch, Darren. Those are really important questions. In terms of the situation in north Wales and still having to transfer babies across the border, that is something that my colleague Mabon would be leading on, but I'm really happy to have a conversation with him about that, because, obviously, that's something that we need to be taking very, very seriously. So, I'm very happy to take that up with Mabon as the Cabinet Minister. On baby loss certificates, I'm really glad that this has come up. It's something that, as you know, I feel very passionately about. I want very much for us to be in a position in Wales where we can deliver bilingual baby loss certificates in a way that is safe, in a way that is sustainable. We are looking into how this can be done at the moment. We're in a different situation from England or Scotland, because we don't have our own national records service. And Northern Ireland has decided to go down a different route, where they're not having the same layers of verification. And I want to make sure, and officials want to make sure—and this is what we're looking into—that there wouldn't be unintended consequences from doing something like that. We want to make sure that baby loss certificates are delivered in a way that the right people are getting the right certificates, because, of course, that is so sensitive. But it is something that I pledge to you, I promise, I care deeply about. And so it is something we are looking at very carefully and very urgently. So, diolch, Darren. I really appreciate that you brought that up.
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I'm sorry that we've gone over.
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Everyone's questions were important.
11
Open this sitting on the stage
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs cy
Dwi'n cynnig yn ffurfiol.
Official English translation
I formally move.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs cy
Diolch, Lywydd. Dwi'n ddiolchgar i bob Aelod sydd wedi cyfleu rhai profiadau eithriadol o bersonol y prynhawn yma.
Official English translation
Thank you, Llywydd. I'm grateful to all Members who have talked about their personal experiences this afternoon.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs en
Thank you to all Members who've shared either their own experiences or family experiences. I would thank Paul for sharing the terrible—. Paul has gone out, but I will still put on the record the horrendous experience of his daughter, and the thoughts of everyone in the Chamber will of course be with her. I'm very grateful to him for sharing that.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs cy
Mae'r ddadl hon yn ymdrin â rhai o'r niweidiau mwyaf difrifol, mwyaf erchyll mae plentyn yn gallu eu profi. Mae cam-drin plant yn rhywiol a chamfanteisio rhywiol ar blant yn gallu cael effaith ddofn a gydol oes ar bob agwedd ar fywyd person. Maen nhw'n gallu effeithio ar addysg, perthnasoedd, cyflogaeth, iechyd corfforol, iechyd meddwl a llesiant unigolyn ymhell i'w fywyd fel oedolyn. Rhaid i'r rhai sy'n cyflawni y troseddau hyn gael eu dal i gyfrif. Mae pob dioddefwr a goroeswr yn haeddu cyfiawnder a chymorth.
Official English translation
This debate deals with some of the most serious harms, the most horrific harms a child can experience. Child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation can have a profound and lifelong impact on every aspect of a person's life. These issues can affect education, relationships, employment, physical health, mental health and well-being of an individual well into adulthood. Those who commit these crimes must be held to account. All victims and survivors deserve justice and help.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs en
Before I go further, Llywydd, I want to acknowledge the courage of victims and survivors whose experiences continue to shape our understanding of abuse and exploitation and drive improvements across our safeguarding systems. I am in awe of your bravery, and I am committed to ensuring that your voices are heard and that your experiences continue to drive change. The motion before us notes the recent rise in convictions relating to sexual exploitation by grooming gangs in Wales and states that all Welsh victims deserve justice. On that principle, there should be no disagreement in this Chamber. I would counter that it is not enough. Justice usually means a moment in time where people who have done awful things are held to account. That is vitally important. But in and of itself, it is not a deliverance. Survivors need the right support at the right time throughout their life and more than just that moment. That is why our amendment has added that crucial component of support. The Government amendment further recognises that Wales falls within the scope of the statutory independent inquiry into grooming gangs, which has been established on an England and Wales basis. This Government is committed to considering carefully any findings and recommendations relating to Wales, and to progressing any necessary action with the utmost urgency. The amendment also reaffirms this Government's commitment to addressing child sexual abuse through the national strategy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse in Wales 2026-2036, published in March this year, including implementing actions set out in its delivery plan. Vital work has been undertaken in this area, building on the foundations that were laid previously, and the Government is engaging proactively with the inquiry. I hear the concerns raised around the Chamber—I hear them. We are undertaking and continuing official engagement, but I also have a forthcoming meeting with Baroness Longfield, and I will be raising these points. The inquiry has begun announcing areas for local investigation, as we've heard, and we do expect further areas to be announced as its work progresses. Wales already falls within the scope of the statutory inquiry, which can undertake detailed local investigations where the evidence warrants it. Indeed, as I say, I will be reinforcing the need for Wales to be considered fully when I meet the Baroness. In terms of the motion, there are things we needed to add, like that point I was making about the support as well as justice, and recognising what this Government is doing. Participation in a wider England and Wales inquiry also provides an opportunity to identify the trends and patterns of abuse that do not respect national borders.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs cy
Bydd dysgu gwersi o’r ymchwiliad hwn yn hanfodol, ond mae hefyd yn bwysig iawn ein bod yn ymateb i realiti heddiw. Dyw’r plant sy’n wynebu risg heddiw ddim yn gallu aros am gasgliadau’r ymchwiliad. Ochr yn ochr â’n gwaith ar gyfer yr ymchwiliad, dŷn ni’n gwneud llawer o waith i gryfhau trefniadau diogelu ar draws Cymru, a bydd Aelodau yn clywed rhagor am hynny yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at gyflwyno hynny. Mae’r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi cyflwyno gwelliant yn galw am ymchwiliad Cymru gyfan ac ar wahân i faterion wedi’u datganoli. Dwi’n deall y bwriad tu ôl i’r cynnig—dwi yn deall hynny. Mae’n bwysig ei gwneud yn glir, fel dwi wedi dweud, bod yr ymchwiliad ar gyfer Lloegr a Chymru. Mae Cymru’n rhan ganolog o’i gylch gwaith. Mae gan yr ymchwiliad y gallu i gynnal ymchwiliadau lleol yng Nghymru, ac mae’n cydnabod y cyfrifoldebau sydd wedi’u datganoli ac sydd ddim wedi'u datganoli. Roeddech chi'n sôn am ymgynghoriad COVID, a dwi'n meddwl mai dyna ydy'r gwahaniaeth mawr, oherwydd roedd hynna'n ymwneud â'r gwasanaeth iechyd yn bennaf, ac mae hwnna dan orchwyl Llywodraeth Cymru. Dyna'r gwahaniaeth—[Torri ar draws.] Mae Darren eisiau dod i mewn.
Official English translation
Learning lessons from this inquiry will be essential, but it's also very important that we respond to today's reality. The children who are at risk today can't wait for the conclusions of the inquiry. Alongside our work for the inquiry, we are doing a lot of work to strengthen safeguarding arrangements across Wales, and Members will hear more about that in the coming weeks. I look forward very much to bringing that forward. The Welsh Conservatives have tabled an amendment calling for an all-Wales and separate inquiry for devolved issues. I understand the intention that is behind that proposal—I do understand that. It's important to clarify, as I've said, that the inquiry is for England and Wales, but Wales is a central part of its remit. The inquiry has the ability to conduct local investigations in Wales, and it recognises the responsibilities that are devolved and that are not devolved. You were talking about the COVID inquiry, and I think that's the big difference, because that related to the health service predominantly, and that comes under the Welsh Government's remit. That is the difference—[Interruption.] Darren wants to come in.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs en
Llywydd, I hope you will keep in mind later that I did allow that lengthy intervention, which is, of course, something of fundamental importance here. The nuance here—and nuances are vitally important—is that the COVID inquiry, in terms of the focus of its attention, was going to be on devolved issues. A great deal of the focus here would be something outside of our control, and we want to make sure that this work is centred around not just the experiences of victims at the time, but the experiences of survivors today, and not re-traumatising them by duplicating work, which is why we don't want to—. But again, I fundamentally see the importance, the vital importance, that Wales is fully at the centre of this. It is a point that I will be reinforcing when I meet the Baroness.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs cy
Os gallaf ffeindio lle'r oeddwn i nawr.
Official English translation
If I can find where I was now.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs en
Well, I will repeat, because this bears repetition, if I have already got to this point: child sexual exploitation does not stop at national borders. Understanding the full picture requires evidence to be examined across the range of agencies involved in safeguarding, education, health, policing and criminal justice too. Not all of those are, of course, devolved to us in Wales. What will, what must make children safer is acting on evidence, identifying risks earlier, strengthening safeguarding practice and ensuring that survivors receive the trauma-informed support that they need. Now, the 'Strategy for Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse in Wales 2026-2036' explicitly includes action to prevent, identify and respond to group-based sexual exploitation, including grooming gangs. Together with its delivery plan, it sets out a clear ambition that all children in Wales should live free from the harm of child sexual abuse, and that everyone affected by abuse is protected and supported throughout their lives. That is the ambition. We must deliver it, because, collectively, we need to do more and do it better. That is on all of us.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs cy
Mi fydd angen dull gweithredu system gyfan, gan ddod â gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, partneriaid diogelu, cymunedau a goroeswyr at ei gilydd. Mi fyddwn ni’n rhoi fframwaith hyfforddi cenedlaethol ar waith, yn cryfhau cymorth i ymarferwyr a goroeswyr, ac yn gwella gwasanaethau ledled Cymru. Ym mis Medi yn unig, daeth mwy na 400 o weithwyr proffesiynol o bob cwr o Gymru a phartneriaid ac arbenigwyr diogelu at ei gilydd i gryfhau gwybodaeth, gwella ymarfer a hybu’r gwaith o weithredu’r strategaeth. Ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn nesaf, mi fydd ymgyrch codi ymwybyddiaeth genedlaethol flynyddol yn cael ei lansio i helpu pobl i adnabod arwyddion o gam-drin a deall y camau y gallan nhw eu cymryd. Oherwydd mae diogelu yn fusnes i bawb. Er bod plismona a chyfiawnder troseddol yn parhau i fod yn faterion a gedwir yn ôl, rŷn ni’n gweithio’n agos gyda phartneriaid ar draws gwasanaethau cyhoeddus i atal niwed, lleihau troseddu ac adeiladu cymunedau mwy diogel ledled Cymru. Mae’r gwaith hwn hefyd yn cyd-fynd â’n hymrwymiad ehangach i atal trais, cam-drin a chamfanteisio ac i greu cymunedau mwy diogel ledled Cymru. Mi fyddwn ni’n cyhoeddi strategaeth newydd ar drais yn erbyn menywod, cam-drin domestig a thrais rhywiol yn ystod yr haf flwyddyn nesaf. Yn gynharach eleni, fe wnes i rannu fy mlaenoriaethau â’r Senedd. Mae cryfhau trefniadau diogelu i amddiffyn plant ac oedolion sy’n wynebu risg yn dal i fod yn un o’m prif flaenoriaethau. Rhaid i leisiau plant fod yn ganolog i benderfyniadau diogelu, gan gynnwys pan fo pryderon yn bodoli ond dyw'r plentyn ddim wedi datgelu hynny’n ffurfiol. Rydyn ni wedi ymrwymo i gyflwyno dyletswyddau newydd o ran rhoi gwybod am gam-drin plant yn rhywiol, cryfhau safonau diogelu a sicrhau bod gwersi o bryderon diogelu yn arwain at welliant ledled Cymru. Yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf, bydd yr Aelodau yn cael clywed rhagor am sut rŷn ni’n bwriadu cyflawni’r ymrwymiadau hynny ar lawr y Senedd.
Official English translation
We will need a whole-system approach, bringing public services, safeguarding partners, communities and survivors together. We will implement a national training framework, strengthen support for practitioners and survivors, and improve services across Wales. In September alone, more than 400 professionals from all over Wales came together with partners and safeguarding experts to strengthen knowledge, improve practice and promote the implementation of the strategy. At the beginning of next year, an annual national awareness campaign will be launched to help people recognise the signs of abuse and to understand the steps that they can take. Because safeguarding is everyone's business. Although policing and criminal justice remain reserved issues, we work closely with partners across public services to prevent harm, reduce crime and build safer communities across Wales. This work is also in line with our wider commitment to preventing violence, abuse and exploitation and to creating safer communities across Wales. We will publish a new strategy on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence during the summer of 2027. Earlier this year, I shared my priorities with the Senedd. Strengthening safeguarding arrangements to protect children and adults who are at risk is still one of my main priorities. Children's voices must be central to safeguarding decisions, including where concerns exist but the child has not formally disclosed that. We are committed to introducing new duties in terms of reporting child sexual abuse, strengthening safeguarding standards and ensuring that lessons from safeguarding concerns lead to improvements throughout Wales. During the next few weeks, Members will be able to hear more about how we intend to fulfil those commitments on the floor of the Senedd.
5. Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs en
Llywydd, safeguarding is fundamental to the Wales we want to be. It will continue to be central to this Government's wider ambitions. The Government amendment recognises the seriousness, the terrible seriousness, of these crimes. It recognises that victims and survivors deserve justice and support. It recognises that Wales is within the scope of the statutory inquiry and it commits us—it commits us—to considering carefully any findings and recommendations relating to Wales, and progressing any necessary action. But importantly, it also focuses on the actions needed to make children safer today. Recent cases we've seen in Wales demonstrate that the responsibility to improve safeguarding, to improve children's lives, begins now. That is why we're strengthening safeguarding arrangements across Wales. That is why safeguarding remains one of my central priorities as Deputy Minister. Because every child deserves to grow up safely. Every victim and survivor deserves to be heard, to be supported, to be treated with dignity. That is the Wales we want, a Wales where children are safer, where abuse is identified earlier, a Wales where survivors receive the support they need throughout their lives, a Wales where survivors receive what they need, where safeguarding arrangements are strong, are effective, are trusted. It is the Wales we must build together, and for those reasons, Llywydd, I ask Members to support the Government amendment.
13
Open this sitting on the stage
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Dwi eisiau dechrau drwy nodi’n glir beth yw uchelgais Llywodraeth Cymru, a fy uchelgais i fel Gweinidog. Rŷn ni am i bob menyw, babi a theulu yng Nghymru gael gofal diogel, amserol a thosturiol, sy’n ymateb i'w hanghenion. Rŷn ni eisiau gwasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol sy'n gweithredu'n gynnar pan fydd pryderon yn cael eu codi. Yn fwy na dim, rŷn ni am i fenywod a theuluoedd wybod bod eu lleisiau nhw’n bwysig. Yr uchelgais honno sy’n sail i’r gwaith o weithredu Galwad am Bryder ar draws gwasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol. Fe wnaf i esbonio'n gryno beth mae hyn yn ei olygu i fenywod, rhieni a theuluoedd.
Official English translation
I want to begin by setting out clearly the Welsh Government’s ambition, and my ambition as Minister. We want every woman, baby and family in Wales to receive care that is safe, that is timely, that is compassionate and that is responsive to their needs. We want maternity and neonatal services that act early when concerns are raised. Above all, we want women and families to know that their voices matter. That ambition underpins the implementation of Call for Concern across maternity and neonatal services. I will explain briefly what this means for women, parents and families.
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Call for Concern is a patient and family escalation system that gives people a clear way to raise urgent concerns if they believe their own health, or the health of a loved one, is deteriorating and they feel those concerns have not been fully addressed. We know that women and families can often identify early signs or changes in behaviour that indicate something might be wrong. They might know when a mother is becoming increasingly unwell. They might see when a baby is behaving differently—perhaps it's feeding differently, or appearing unusually sleepy, or showing other concerning changes. Often, they will know when something doesn't feel right, and their concerns about a patient's deteriorating health must matter. When their concerns are raised, they must be heard, respected and acted on. That principle is at the centre of Call for Concern. Patients and families can raise those concerns with staff and, if they remain worried, request further review through the escalation process. The same applies to women who are concerned about their own health during pregnancy, birth or the postnatal period. This is an important milestone, Llywydd, in our journey to improve safety and strengthen maternity and neonatal care, ensuring women, babies and families are at the heart of decisions about their care. Call for Concern gives patients, parents and families that clear route to seek urgent help when they're worried. It gives them a stronger voice, and it's being introduced across adult, paediatric, maternity and neonatal in-patient services, so that this support is clear and consistent across the NHS in Wales. Wales already has strong clinical tools to help staff to identify deterioration rapidly, through early warning scores such as the all-Wales maternity early warning score, the neonatal early warning trigger and track tools. Call for Concern provides an additional safeguard: that direct route for patients and families again. The Welsh approach draws on lessons from pilots across the NHS in Wales, and it reflects international approaches like Ryan's rule in Australia, and aligns with the principles that underpin Martha's rule in England. It has two interconnected elements. Firstly, the patient wellness score, question or concern gives patients and families a structured way to say how they think someone is if they're worried. Secondly, patient and family initiated escalation gives them a way of escalating and further asking for clinical review if they remain concerned. Together, they will help to make sure that those concerns are not just heard, but they lead to action. This is particularly important within maternity and neonatal services. Pregnancy, birth and the neonatal period should be positive experiences. They should be safe experiences for every family. And every day—it's important to say—dedicated NHS staff provide that safe and compassionate and high-quality care to women, babies and families across Wales. But when things go wrong, the impact can be devastating. That is why there can be no room for complacency. We have to keep learning from reviews, from inspections, from investigations and, above all, from women and families themselves.
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Mae Galwad am Bryder yn adlewyrchu'r ymrwymiad hwnnw. Mae'n cefnogi ein rhaglen ehangach o wella diogelwch gwasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol ac yn cadarnhau'r egwyddor y dylai menywod a'u teuluoedd fod yn bartneriaid gweithredol mewn gofal. Nid dim ond mater o gyflwyno rhif ffôn neu newid dogfennau yw hyn. Mae'n ymwneud â diwylliant. Mae'n golygu creu gwasanaeth iechyd lle mae menywod yn teimlo eu bod wedi cael eu grymuso i godi pryderon am eu hiechyd eu hunain, lle mae rhieni'n teimlo'n hyderus i siarad os ydyn nhw’n poeni am iechyd eu babi, a lle mae staff yn gweld y pryderon hynny fel gwybodaeth hanfodol ar gyfer gofal mwy diogel. Mae cynnydd wedi cael ei wneud yn barod. Mae byrddau iechyd ac ymddiriedolaethau yn sefydlu llwybrau lleol, yn hyfforddi staff ac yn codi ymwybyddiaeth, gyda chymorth y rhwydwaith gweithredu dirywiad corfforol acíwt sydd dan ofal Perfformiad a Gwella GIG Cymru. Mae nifer o sefydliadau eisoes wedi cyflwyno elfennau allweddol o'r rhaglen. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr eisoes wedi cynnwys cwestiynau am les cleifion yn eu systemau rhybuddio cynnar. Yn ystod y mis yma, byddan nhw’n gweithredu Galwad am Bryder ar ôl gwaith pellach i ddatblygu deunydd cyfathrebu lleol a deunydd ymwybyddiaeth staff, ac fe fyddan nhw’n cynnal archwiliad i fesur i ba raddau mae’n cael ei weithredu’n gyson. Ac mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a'r Fro wedi cyflwyno system weithredu safonol ar gyfer gwasanaethau newyddenedigol, ac wedi diweddaru eu dogfennau yn y maes, fel bod modd cofnodi pryderon rhieni am iechyd eu babi. Mae addysg i staff hefyd yn cael ei darparu ar draws gwasanaethau amenedigol. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg wedi gwneud gwaith paratoi helaeth cyn cyflwyno’r system, gan gynnwys datblygu llwybrau uwchgyfeirio, gweithdrefnau a gweithgareddau ymwybyddiaeth staff. Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe wedi lansio Galwad am Bryder mewn gwasanaethau mamolaeth ac wedi bwrw ymlaen â gwaith datblygu mewn gwasanaethau newyddenedigol. Lywydd, ar draws Cymru, mae timau amlddisgyblaethol yn cydweithio i sicrhau bod y gwaith gweithredu yn adlewyrchu trefniadau gwasanaeth lleol, ac mae hyn yn cael ei ategu gan ddisgwyliadau cenedlaethol clir a chysylltu parhaus drwy rwydweithiau gwella cenedlaethol. Erbyn mis Gorffennaf eleni, roedd disgwyl i bob bwrdd iechyd ac ymddiriedolaeth weithredu eu trefniadau i gofnodi sut mae cleifion yn asesu eu llesiant eu hunain, ac i sefydlu systemau uwchgyfeirio ar gyfer cleifion a theuluoedd yn eu lleoliadau cleifion mewnol acíwt. Bydd cerrig milltir pellach yn ei gwneud yn ofynnol i sefydliadau ddangos dull dibynadwy o ddogfennu pryderon cleifion am eu hiechyd, a dangos sut maen nhw’n ymgorffori’r trefniadau hyn yn gyson ar draws gwasanaethau yn ystod gweddill y flwyddyn hon.
Official English translation
Call for Concern reflects that commitment. It supports our wider programme of maternity and neonatal safety improvement, and it reinforces the principle that women and their families should be active partners in care. This is not simply about introducing a telephone number or changing documentation. It's about culture. It's about creating an NHS where women feel that they have been empowered to raise concerns about their own health, where parents feel confident to speak up when they are worried about their baby's health, and where staff see those concerns as vital information for safer care. Progress is already being made. Health boards and trusts are establishing local pathways, training staff and raising awareness, supported by the NHS Wales Performance and Improvement acute physical deterioration implementation network. Several organisations have already introduced key components of the programme. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board have already embedded patient wellness questions within existing early warning systems. This month, they will implement Call for Concern after further development of local communications and staff awareness materials, and they will be carrying out an audit to measure how consistently it’s being implemented. And Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have implemented a neonatal standard operating procedure and have updated their documentation in that field, so that parental concerns about their baby’s health can be recorded. Staff education is also being delivered across perinatal services. Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board have undertaken extensive preparation work ahead of implementation, including the development of escalation pathways, operational procedures and staff awareness activities. Swansea Bay University Health Board have launched Call for Concern in maternity services, and have progressed implementation within neonatal services. Llywydd, across Wales, multidisciplinary teams are working together to ensure how this is implemented reflects local service arrangements, and this is being supported by clear national expectations and ongoing engagement through national improvement networks. By July of this year, health boards and trusts were expected to implement their arrangements for documenting patient self-reported wellness, and to establish patient and family escalation systems within their acute in-patient settings. Further milestones will require organisations to demonstrate how they are reliably documenting patients' concerns about their health, and how they are embedding these arrangements consistently across services during the remainder of this year.
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Importantly, the all-Wales maternity, neonatal and paediatric early warning systems already provide mechanisms to address patient and family concerns. This means the infrastructure for listening to women, parents and families is increasingly becoming part of routine clinical care. But this will build on that. It will provide better reassurance to mothers and families, and could ultimately help save lives. Now, I recognise that this has to be implemented successfully, and it will therefore require strong clinical leadership. It will require multidisciplinary collaboration, and it will require a sustained focus, because safe care depends not only on professional expertise, but on effective partnerships between professionals, women and families. Women and their families have to be aware that the system is there. They have to feel empowered to use it if they need to. Call for Concern is aimed at ensuring that the voices of women, parents and families are recognised as an essential part of safe care, and that NHS organisations have systems in place to respond quickly. This will not replace clinical judgment, or strong leadership, or safe services. That is not its purpose. But rather, it adds that vital safeguard, and gives women and families a clearer voice when they are worried. It strengthens our shared ambition for safer, more responsive and more compassionate care for women, babies and families across Wales. Diolch.
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Diolch, Claire. Firstly, I am so sorry for the experience that you have had. Thank you for sharing that, and I'm so sorry. There will be so many women who will have had similar experiences, too many women, and I am very sorry for that. On what you said about there being a very simple principle at play here, I agree entirely. We have to listen to women and their families. Let's hope that there will be many occasions when something is raised and it's escalated, and then there isn't anything wrong. Fantastic. But it's about giving that reassurance, to be able to ensure that women and families are feeling listened to, that they are being believed, and that that is acted on quickly. No woman, no family, should ever feel that their concerns are being ignored or downplayed. Again, I repeat that there are fantastic clinicians across our NHS who get this right every day. But any woman or family not getting that care in the way that they should is too many. So we need to be looking at how we can improve this. I do agree with you as well that success can't ever be just about having posters up. It can't just be about a phone number existing. Success for this won't be measured by whether this exists—it's about whether it is used effectively, whether lessons are learned from those concerns that are raised when they are escalated, and that we learn as an NHS. There are lots of investigations that have happened, not just within Wales but across the UK, that we need to be continuously learning from, and we need to be learning from women and families' experiences too. In terms of how we will be making sure that health boards learn those lessons and to make sure that it's being implemented effectively, all health boards and trusts are expected to meet the requirements that are set out in the Welsh health circular, and they will need to demonstrate that the arrangements are embedded and used reliably. We're going to be measuring progress against established NHS improvement governance and assurance mechanisms, and it will be made clear to health boards that if they are not meeting these, there will be clear remedial action. Absolutely, this can't be a postcode lottery. In terms of the question you asked about—. By July of this year, this process was meant to have started, and it has in many of these health boards. In terms of whether that information can be published, whether people can be tracking this in real time, that's a very good question, and I'll take that away to see what is possible. There may well be reasons why, because of the sensitivity of the cases, things could not be published, but it's a good question, and I will take that away. Certainly, when I have more clarity about when we can give a final date about when everything is implemented consistently across Wales, I'll be able to update you. Diolch, thank you, for the tone and the openness that you brought to that, Claire. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
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Diolch, Jayne. I agree with the point that you made in opening there, about the first few weeks of a baby's life being of essential importance in terms of not just their welfare, but the welfare of everyone around that baby, about the entire family. I know, from the role that you previously played, this is something very close to your heart as well, and I commend you for everything that you did in that role. I know it's something that is still really important to you. In terms of the assurance assessment of neonatal services that women helped shape, as you're saying, yes, I'm very happy to confirm that the recommendations of 'The path to safer beginnings' are indeed going to be implemented. I'm very happy to confirm that. Again, I know that there will be people who will be watching this who will say, 'Oh, yes, but they have reports and they have recommendations and they're accepted, but not enough changes'. We cannot get this wrong. This is something that transcends politics. This is about ensuring that more babies get the care that they need when they need it, and making sure that we learn from when things have gone so horrifically wrong. So, yes, that is something of absolute essentialness, if that's a word. In terms of midwifery—and of course, the point you make is absolutely true—none of this will be possible without the fantastic staff who are helping women and families every day. I do recognise the pressures on the midwifery workforce with maternity services. They play that vital role in delivering safe and sustainable maternity care, of course. The Welsh Government does continue to invest in the education, the training, the retention of the workforce. As I've said, we are committed to delivering the recommendations on that as well from 'The path to safer beginnings', and that includes developing a workforce acuity tool that reflects the current requirements in maternity services and a workforce model that's fit for the future. In the meantime, health boards have to plan, they have to deploy their workforce effectively using the current Birthrate Plus workforce planning tool, to ensure that those services are staffed safely and sustainably. On the situation of midwifery graduates, I recognise the ongoing uncertainty that's facing so many of our newly qualified midwives. That, of course, is a situation that we inherited. But from the graduate summit that my colleague the health Minister had convened earlier in the summer, we're making sure that we are maximising employment opportunities, that we're working with Health Education and Improvement Wales and with NHS Wales to make sure that we are providing that practical support, that we're ensuring the lessons from this year's recruitment cycle can inform future workforce planning. But crucially, that every opportunity is maximised for those young people, and my thoughts are with them, absolutely. Finally, the workforce plan is being developed. This will be part of the consideration in terms of perinatal mental health. This was something that was really important to my predecessor in this role, Steffan Lewis. I know, again, it's something that is really important to you. If ever it would be helpful—and I'd extend this to Members, to spokespeople, across the Chamber—to have a further meeting to discuss that in greater depth, I'd be really happy to do that. Diolch, Jayne. Thank you for that.
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Diolch, Peter. I think that there is an awful lot where there will be, I would hope, agreement across the Chamber on this, and that's come out in the fact that I think that it does no harm to be reinforcing those same questions, because it is something so important for us to be repeating things like this, in terms of the point you made that success is, again, in the implementation. It isn't about whether a system exists, it's about whether the system works, whether it is going to lead to further empowerment and improvements in safety, which, again, could even mean lives being saved. So, it's something of fundamental importance. You asked about ensuring that we need to make sure that there isn't a postcode lottery. Absolutely. In terms of how we stop that from happening, the Welsh health circular sets out that clear national expectation for health boards and trusts. Of course local arrangements will need to reflect individual services, but that core requirement has to be the same across Wales. And in terms of how we monitor that progress, it's going to be supported through national improvement networks. It's going to be monitored through established NHS governance and assurance arrangements as well. You talked about empowering women, and, again, I agree entirely with you. In terms of—and it's an interesting point—how we can make sure that they know that this is available, which is something that Claire raised as well, so, practically, the things that we can do, there's going to be information provided by health boards during care—information leaflets, posters, bedside information, discussions with staff. Because, again, we can't just put a poster on the wall and think, 'Oh, well, it's there now, people will have to read it.' This is a very stressful time in someone's life, and they're not necessarily going to be looking at the poster on the wall. That's why it has to be embedded in the culture of the NHS. And that's something that, again, we're going to have to keep under continual review to see how well that is working. In terms of how we assess how well it's working, I've laid that out. But in terms of the question that you raised, which is a really good question: how can we measure awareness levels? Of course, to a certain extent, how often it is used will be that, but that's a very crude way of looking at it. I'm going to speak to officials about what else could be possible, because I think that's a really good question. And you mentioned staff pressures. Now, I do recognise, and this is something that Jayne alluded to as well, that there are huge pressures facing staff. Of course, and I'm sure that they would agree, patient safety has to be the priority. And so that's why it's intended to strengthen existing deterioration escalation arrangements; it's not meant to create a separate service that runs alongside them. Health boards will have to ensure, of course, that those local pathways are practical, that they're understood clearly, that they're supported by appropriate clinical leadership. But again, we need to keep this under review. And finally, Llywydd, Peter, you asked, I suppose, why this is happening now, in a way, in terms of the wider context that we need to be aware of. Call for Concern isn't a response to any single review or investigation. It forms part of a wider programme to improve maternity and neonatal safety. But, of course, this doesn't exist in a vacuum. This is very timely today with the news that's coming out from England. We have to learn from reviews. We have to learn from inspections, investigations. Most importantly, we have to learn from the experiences of women and the experiences of families and make sure that, as you say, outcomes and making sure that people's lives are better—. That's the ultimate test.
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[Inaudible.]—vitally important. Because of where the microphone is, I'm sorry that I'm having to have my back to you. It's very awkward about the Chamber. No family, no parent should ever be made to feel that they are being difficult when they are worried about the health or the condition of their baby, or indeed a mother about her own health, as we're talking about here as well. But again, if we are going to be embedding this and changing the culture of areas and pockets—and this is pockets, of course, but any pockets are too many pockets with this—then we have to make sure that women feel—
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eu bod nhw'n cael eu grymuso—
Official English translation
that they are being empowered—
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—that women feel that they are truly empowered to be able to use their voice, and to feel more certain that their voice is going to be listened to. I am concerned—. Okay, I will take that away, the point that you said about the lack of awareness among some members of the workforce. As I say, this is being rolled out at different timetables slightly over a period of weeks with different health boards, but would you mind writing to me with some of those specifics so I can look into that? That would be really—. Obviously, this is something for local health boards to do, but it would just be useful for me to get a flavour of where, perhaps, we need to be aware of what might be happening. So, that would be really useful for me. But again, just to say that our ambition isn't simply for people to know about Call for Concern, but for them to feel confident in using it, and safe in the knowledge that their concerns are going to be taken seriously. That should never prejudice their care. Thank you so much for raising that. Diolch, Sara.
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Diolch, Gareth. I know the expertise that you bring to this area as well, so thank you for sharing that. Certainly we need to be learning from MBRRACE-UK on this. My understanding is that acute psychiatric problems, like what you've set out, would be covered by this. Again, it's making sure that this supplements and complements the support that is already there, that it doesn't look to sit alongside it. If a family member in the kind of situation that you are outlining notices something about the mother, that their mental health is deteriorating, they will be with them possibly every day, they will be with them hour after hour. They will see that deterioration in a way that a clinician might not, because they haven't seen them for as long. So, this is vitally important and this is something that I'm really passionate about. And I know that you're not just passionate about this, but you have an awful lot of expertise in this area as well. I really appreciate the fact that you've raised this because, absolutely, we can't afford to get this wrong. This is about women's lives. So, thank you for raising that.
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Diolch, Zaynub, and thank you for your advocacy with this issue as well. This has come up already and I'll say again that I know that there are concerns about how reported staffing levels don't always reflect the pressures that are being experienced on the ground, and as you've alluded to, the 2026 student streamlining process has highlighted how vitally important it is that we ensure workforce planning, education commissioning and service requirements are closely aligned. Now, of course we need to learn lessons from that for future cohorts, but we vitally need to be supporting those graduates today—Megan and her fellow graduates. They are needed. Of course they are needed, and as a Government, we are doing everything that we can to maximise those employment opportunities, working again with HEIW and NHS Wales. I can only begin to imagine how difficult this time will be for Megan and for her fellow graduates. It is something that we absolutely are taking incredibly seriously. And, of course, this is feeding into the workforce plan. In terms of our response to ‘The path to safer beginnings in Wales’ report, we're already working with NHS organisations to develop the future maternity workforce security tool that I mentioned earlier, which reflects better the complexity of care, where the future service demands are going to be, workforce requirements. And in that meantime period, health boards have to, of course, deploy their workforce effectively with the existing mandated planning tool Birthrate Plus. But, look, this is something that is hugely, hugely important, and the thoughts of everyone in this Chamber are going to be with that cohort, and I thank you, and other Members as well, for raising their concerns. They are needed. Thank you.
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Thank you for raising that. Look, I'm really glad that you had that positive experience. It should, like you say, be a precious experience for every family or every individual, and, too often, it isn't, of course, and I feel that we need to keep repeating that, for the vast majority of families, they will have a wonderful experience and life-changing in a fantastic way. For too many families, they have a life-changing experience in another way, and not just our thoughts, our action here has to be making sure that we are helping them. We have to learn from every investigation, whether that's in our own health boards, whether that's from investigations that are happening that are commissioned on a greater level, nationally, sometimes in other countries as well. In terms of, as I've said, how we make sure that the escalation processes are followed, this has to sit alongside the tools that already exist, to complement them as that safeguard, so that it is yet another check and balance, and, crucially, it's a platform to make sure that women get their voice heard, that families get their concerns raised. As I've said, existing governance assurance arrangements are going to be used to make sure that we are monitoring this properly. But if I could say finally, Dirprwy—. Forgive me, I downgraded you then, sorry. If I can say finally, Llywydd—it's the first day back—that every family, every woman deserves to have the fantastic care that you've just set out. I can only imagine that this will have been a difficult statement for many families to listen to, and you are going to be in our thoughts as well. We have to get this right. And I really welcome the tone that everyone in the Chamber has taken this afternoon. Diolch. Diolch, Lywydd.
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5. Member’s Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): A Bill on corporate parenting en
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to begin as well by thanking Sarah for bringing this prominence to corporate parenting. I think that your work in this area has been a credit to the Senedd. So, diolch, Sarah, for that. I want to work with you to make things better in this area. It is a tremendously powerful thing that the needs of care-experienced children and young people have been placed on our agenda so early in this Senedd term. We can't underestimate the difference we can all make to the lives of care-experienced children. This is where our collective corporate parenting role is vital, supporting a child to navigate the transition to adulthood, and that requires the active involvement of key agencies and partners, as has been laid out in this debate. I was struck by the contribution that Beca Brown made last week in another debate, by saying that it takes a village or community to raise a child and how that phrase has to mean something. Because what is our society other than that, that collective responsibility we share to ensure everyone is given a fair chance at life? Now, I have an open mind about what happens in this space. I'm still learning. I want to work with people who have lived this. Legislation is clearly an important lever. I'm absolutely willing to consider that option. The two choices would be—. I don't see them as necessarily binary, either/or. I don't see it as right versus wrong, I see it as right versus right. Because there are very positive aspects to the Welsh setup we have too, which we wouldn't want to lose no matter what happens in the future. Its being voluntary gives it more flexibility, able to encourage innovation, creativity and true buy-in to the concept, rather than simply being an obligation, without organisations possibly truly doing more than the statutory minimum. I'm not saying that that means that we should not consider legislation; I'm just saying what we don't want to lose if we do that. There are also complications, of course, that we would need to get over arising from what is devolved and what isn't. So, what I would want to do is to make sure we get the right balance between strengthening our situation, which we absolutely need to do, and also ensuring that we don't lose that good that's been nurtured in the system that we have, that flexibility that allows organisations to shape their own pledges, to go further than statutory obligations, though I do take the point that Lynne made that, actually, if those pledges are not being communicated very well, then they're not doing the job that they're meant to be doing, are they? Again—
5. Member’s Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): A Bill on corporate parenting en
Yes.
5. Member’s Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): A Bill on corporate parenting en
Absolutely. In terms of some of these—. In terms of local authorities, they are statutory obligations, of course. This is about—. I don't disagree at all with what you're saying. I don't. Again, I'm not seeing this as an either/or. I want to make sure that the system that we develop has the good of both, and that's why I want to make sure that we are doing this with care-experienced young people as well. So, no, I don't disagree at all, Jane, of course.
5. Member’s Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): A Bill on corporate parenting cy
Mae ein siarter corfforaethol yn ymwreiddio rhianta corfforaethol ar sylfaen llawer ehangach na'r ddeddfwriaeth yn Lloegr. Dim canolbwyntio'n syml ar gyrff y sector cyhoeddus ydym ni, rydym ni hefyd yn meithrin partneriaethau â'r sector preifat a'r trydydd sector i adlewyrchu'r ffordd mae cymdeithas yn gweithio, oherwydd mae Cymru yn genedl o gymunedau. Mae'r siarter wedi cael ei ddatblygu ar y cyd â phobl ifanc sydd â phrofiad o fod mewn gofal—so, dŷn ni eisiau gweithio, yn amlwg, gyda'r grwpiau hynny hefyd. Mae pob egwyddor yn cyd-fynd ag erthyglau Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn. Hyd yn hyn, mae dros 70 o sefydliadau wedi llofnodi'r siarter, gan gynnwys pob awdurdod lleol a bwrdd iechyd. Nawr, ydy, mae llofnodi'r siarter yn wirfoddol, ac mae'n rhaid i ni edrych ar hyn. Ond mae gofyn hefyd i bob sefydliad sydd yn llofnodi i wneud adduned sy'n nodi'r hyn y bydden nhw'n ei gynnig. Gyda'r cafeat y mae Lynne wedi'i gyflwyno yn gynharach, mae yna rai enghreifftiau sydd wir yn rhagorol; dwi eisiau rhannu rhai o'r rheini. Mae gan Gyngor Caerdydd strategaeth rhianta corfforaethol sy'n canolbwyntio ar bum blaenoriaeth. Maen nhw wedi cynnal digwyddiad yn ddiweddar ar rianta corfforaethol yn benodol i ddangos y gwaith sy'n mynd rhagddo. Mae Premier Forest Products—y cwmni sector preifat cyntaf i lofnodi—yn cefnogi unigolion trwy leoliadau gwaith sy'n cynnig cefnogaeth gan fentoriaid a chymorth addysgol i symud ymlaen yn llwyddiannus i fyd gwaith. Ac mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg wedi gwneud adduned i ddarparu tîm iechyd sy'n benodol ar gyfer unigolion â phrofiad o fod mewn gofal. Maen nhw hefyd wedi addunedu i gyflwyno rhaglen bontio a fydd yn cyflawni dull strategol sy'n ystyriol o drawma. Mae profiad gwaith a phrentisiaethau yn cael eu cynnig ganddyn nhw ac maen nhw'n gwarantu y bydd plant sydd â phrofiad o fod mewn gofal yn cael y cyfle i gymryd rhan mewn prosesau i ddewis ymgeiswyr.
Official English translation
Our corporate parenting charter enshrines corporate parenting on a far broader footing than the legislation in England. We're not simply focusing on public sector bodies, we're also establishing partnerships with the private and third sectors to reflect the way that society works, because Wales is a nation of communities. The charter's been developed alongside young people who are care-experienced—so, we want to work, clearly, with those groups too. Every principle is aligned with the articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. To date, over 70 organisations have signed the charter, including every local authority and health board. Now, yes, signing the charter is voluntary, and we do need to look at this. But every organisation that does sign it is asked to pledge what they will offer. With the caveat that Lynne introduced earlier, there are some excellent examples that I would like to share with you. Cardiff Council has a corporate parenting strategy that focuses on five priorities. They've recently held an event on corporate parenting specifically to demonstrate the work being done there. Premier Forest Products—the first private sector company to sign the charter—supports individuals through work placements that provide support from mentors as well as educational support to move forward successfully into employment. And Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has pledged to provide a health team specifically focused on care-experienced individuals. They've also pledged to introduce a transition programme that will deliver a strategic approach that is trauma-informed. They offer work experience and apprenticeships, and they guarantee that care-experienced children and young people will have the opportunity to participate in candidate selection processes.
5. Member’s Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): A Bill on corporate parenting en
These are some of the examples of the creativity, the innovation that I would not want to lose. And we need to find a way, I think, of making sure that where we move to still encourages that innovation and that it is being nurtured from the ground up, as well, potentially, as being from top to bottom. Now this autumn, as we've heard—Sarah had referred to this—we will table strengthened guidance through a dedicated chapter on corporate parenting within the Part 6 code of practice, and that will set out a strengthened strategic and partnership approach to corporate parenting. That isn't to say that that is enough. I know we can improve things further. That is why I very much welcome this constructive scrutiny and cross-party dialogue that is fostered through motions like this. This Government is committed to expanding the corporate parenting network in Wales as part of our future vision for children's services. Now, for the purposes of today's debate, the Government will abstain on this motion, and we will keep this position under close review. I do not intend for this to be the end of this conversation. We are in no way ruling out possible statutory options. I'm keen to make sure that we get this right. And I'm also determined that we make sustained progress in building upon that great work, that enthusiasm, that goodwill that's already in evidence amongst our committed partners. And I would very much welcome further discussions with Sarah so that we can work together to improve opportunities and outcomes for the children and young people of Wales. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
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Open this sitting on the stage
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Diolch, Lywydd. Dwi'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle yma i nodi fy ngweledigaeth a fy mlaenoriaethau. Fel Gweinidog, dwi eisiau helpu i daflu goleuni ar y meysydd hynny sydd heb gael y ffocws y maen nhw'n eu haeddu—ar iechyd meddwl, ar iechyd menywod, ac, ie, ar y system gofal cymdeithasol, sydd heb gael sylw digonol ers cyhyd. Mae'r meysydd hyn yn haeddu mwy o sylw ac amlygrwydd. Maen nhw'n haeddu llais o galon y Llywodraeth, a dwi'n addo y byddan nhw'n cael hynny gen i. Rŷn ni'n falch, fel plaid, o gyflymu'r gwaith tuag at wasanaeth gofal cenedlaethol i Gymru, gan gynnwys sefydlu academi gofal cenedlaethol o fewn tymor y Senedd hon. Byddaf yn goruchwylio rhaglen o gryfhau trefniadau comisiynu, deall gofynion cyllido'r dyfodol, a datblygu opsiynau cadarn ar gyfer gofal personol am ddim yn nhymor y Senedd nesaf.
Official English translation
Thank you, Llywydd. I'm grateful for this opportunity to set out my vision and my priorities. As Minister, I want to help shine a light onto areas that haven't had the focus that they deserve—on mental health, women's health, and, yes, on the social care system that, for too long, has not had sufficient attention. These areas deserve more attention and prominence. They deserve a voice at the heart of Government, and I promise that I will give that to them. We are proud, as a party, to accelerate the work towards a national care service for Wales, including establishing a national care academy within this Senedd term. I will oversee a programme of strengthening commissioning arrangements, understanding future funding requirements, and developing robust future options for free personal care in the next Senedd term.
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I will champion policies aimed at strengthening the value that we give to our carers. For our paid workforce, we will work to ensure that far more workers receive the real living wage as a minimum, and progress work towards fairer pay and conditions, but they should also receive parity of esteem. Why is it that social care receives less prominence in debate than the NHS? Why shouldn’t care workers hold the same space in our psyche as nurses and doctors? I’m put in mind of Michael Rosen’s words about the NHS that 'these are the hands that touch us first'. For many people in care homes, in palliative care, workers there will be the hands that touch us last. This is what I want to champion in Government: those who help the least heard and the lost. The carers and workers who support people at their most vulnerable, who bring comfort to the dying and support to the sick. The value we place on this vital work has to be greater, and I will drive for that to happen as just one pillar of the foundations for a truly national care service in Wales. Unpaid carers, of course, support hundreds of thousands of people. I have listened to concerns about recognition, support and financial pressures, and to the plea for policies, not praise. We are investing in the carers support fund and short breaks scheme and will continue to press the UK Government for changes to carers allowance and local authorities on respite provision. Llywydd, providing the best start in life for all children is fundamental, and this includes reinforcing and redoubling our societal responsibilities to care for those in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations. The programme to remove profit from the care of looked-after children in Wales was a major feature of our co-operation agreement, and we will bring this world-leading initiative to fruition within the current Senedd term. We are also expanding the corporate parenting charter into the private sector as part of our 2030 vision for this significant area of work.
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Mae gofalu am ein plant a'n pobl ifanc hefyd yn golygu sicrhau bod mecanweithiau cymorth ar gael i ymateb i gamdriniaeth, esgeulustod a chamfanteisio. Rŷn ni i gyd yn ymwybodol o'r etifeddiaeth gywilyddus o fethiannau sefydliadol yn y maes hwn, ac rŷn ni'n ymrwymo i unioni'r diffygion hanesyddol hyn. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn cynnal cysylltiad agos ag ymchwiliad y Deyrnas Unedig i gamfanteisio’n rhywiol ar blant ar sail grwpiau er mwyn sicrhau bod y cyd-destun Cymreig unigryw yn cael ystyriaeth briodol, gan hefyd cryfhau'r fframweithiau y mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn gyfrifol amdanynt yn uniongyrchol. Rŷn ni'n gweithio'n gyflym i weithredu'r adolygiad cryfhau llywodraethiant diogelu a'n hymrwymiadau maniffesto ein hunain, er mwyn dod â gwahanol elfennau o'r gwaith yma o ddiwygio'r maes diogelu at ei gilydd mewn rhaglen genedlaethol gydlynol. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys gweithio gyda phartneriaid ar draws meysydd iechyd, gofal cymdeithasol, addysg, plismona a'r trydydd sector i wella camau atal ac ymyrryd cynnar, cryfhau'r broses o adnabod niwed yn gynnar trwy well defnydd o ddata a gwybodaeth ac, yn bwysicaf oll, sicrhau bod pryderon plant a phobl ifanc yn cael eu trin yn hollol o ddifrif a diamod bob amser.
Official English translation
Caring for our children and young people also means ensuring that support mechanisms are there to respond to abuse, neglect and exploitation. We are all aware of the shameful legacy of institutional failings in this area, and we are committed to righting these historic wrongs. This Government is engaging closely with the ongoing UK inquiry into group-based childhood exploitation to ensure that the unique Welsh context is properly captured, whilst also strengthening the frameworks for which this Government is directly responsible. We are working at pace to implement both the strengthening safeguarding governance review and our own manifesto commitments, so that safeguarding reform can be brought together into a coherent national programme for Wales. This will include working with partners across health, social care, education, policing and the third sector to improve prevention and early intervention, to strengthen early identification of harm through improved data and intelligence use and, most importantly, ensure that the concerns of children and young people are, without exception, treated with the utmost and unconditional seriousness.
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On mental health, I aim to oversee a fundamental change in how our services are delivered, moving towards open-access, same-day mental health support, a fundamental shift from a traditional model to one focused on recovery and prevention. NHS Wales Performance and Improvement has been commissioned to develop a new mental health clinical plan, covering same-day access, modernisation of community mental health services and action to prevent escalation to in-patient care. I will review progress in September. On the vital area of suicide prevention, I have met Professor Ann John, national adviser for suicide prevention and self-harm, and I'll provide a written statement imminently setting out this Government’s early priorities in this area, with a particular focus on male suicide.
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Fel yr un sy'n arwain ar ddementia yn y Llywodraeth, dwi wedi ymrwymo i ddatblygu strategaeth dementia newydd sy'n canolbwyntio ar iechyd yr ymennydd, gwella diagnosis a chryfhau cymorth. Dwi'n benderfynol o helpu pobl ag anableddau dysgu yn well trwy gryfhau cymorth cymunedol, lleihau derbyniadau i'r ysbyty a byrhau arosiadau yn yr ysbyty. Trwy ein gwaith i sefydlu safon gofal cyson ar draws meysydd iechyd, gofal cymdeithasol a thai, fe fyddwn ni'n gweithredu yn unol â'n maniffesto ar yr ymrwymiadau sy'n deillio o'r ymgyrch Bywydau wedi'u Dwyn a'r adroddiad 'O Ysbytai i Gartrefi.' Dwi wedi ymrwymo i sicrhau bod pobl niwrowahanol yn gallu cael mynediad at gymorth amserol o safon uchel ble bynnag maen nhw'n byw, trwy leihau'r amseroedd aros am asesiadau i blant a chael gwared ar y cyfnodau aros hiraf. Fe fyddwn ni hefyd yn gwella gwasanaethau awtistiaeth ac ADHD i oedolion, yn buddsoddi i ddatblygu'r gweithlu ac yn sicrhau bod gwasanaethau'n cael eu siapio ar y cyd gyda phobl niwrowahanol a'u teuluoedd.
Official English translation
As lead in Government for dementia, I am committed to developing a new dementia strategy that focuses on brain health, improving diagnosis and strengthening support. I'm determined to better help people with learning disabilities by strengthening community support, reducing hospital admissions and shortening hospital stays. Our drive to establish consistent standards of care across health, social care and housing will deliver, in line with our manifesto, on commitments arising from the Stolen Lives campaign and the 'From Hospitals to Homes' report. I'm committed to ensuring neurodivergent people can access timely, high-quality support wherever they live, by reducing children’s assessment waiting times and eliminating the longest waits. We will also improve adult autism and ADHD services, invest in workforce development and innovation, and ensure that services are shaped alongside neurodivergent people and their families.
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Turning last, but by no means least, to women’s health, I am proud to be Wales’s first women’s health Minister. It is long overdue. For too long, women’s health has been treated as an afterthought, as optional—a 'should', not a 'must'. I want that to change. I will expect that it must change. My first focus will be on tackling women’s pain in healthcare. I'll be hosting a ministerial summit on 16 July that will focus on women’s voices and tackling this normalisation of pain in health, hearing directly from women with lived experience, alongside clinicians. How many women have been told, 'This might hurt', have been afraid to speak up and say that they are in pain? Women’s voices should be heard. Their pain should not simply be endured. I am determined to change this. We will be refreshing elements of the NHS Wales women’s health plan, with action this year focused on improving endometriosis and abortion services. I will want to hear from women directly, we'll be commissioning work to gather women’s feedback, and we're also carefully considering the women’s health hub model to improve consistency. I'm determined to see improvement in maternity and neonatal care through implementing the recommendations of 'The path to safer beginnings'. We'll strengthen data collection of stillbirths and neonatal deaths and ensure bereavement and mental health support are there for families who experience the devastating loss of a baby. Work has begun on a national cancer plan, which will address cancers that disproportionately affect women. A written statement will set out more detail on 15 July. Llywydd, I want women to take up space, be it through women’s health hubs, through theatre space, or for more women to take up the space they need in their GP appointments. How many women listening today have been belittled or ignored? We’ve all had fantastic doctors who get it, and we’ve all had doctors who don’t. No woman should be afraid or embarrassed to ask about pain or things that don’t feel right. We have to see improvements in training, but I also want to empower women to take up that space, to give voice to their worries, to feel certain they’ll be believed and listened to. Because women should be believed about their bodies. As Minister for women’s health, I am determined to see change. Women must see change. These are just some of my priorities for this role. I will work with Members across this Chamber, with committees, to make things better, because that is what my work will be about: making things better for people’s lives. I want to pinpoint where the gaps exist in our policies. I mentioned earlier how I want to shine a light. Leonard Cohen reminded us that 'There is a crack, a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in'. I want to shine that light and to remember always the debt we owe to all those other souls alive at this same moment, in this same place. People in crisis, people who’ve been as good as forgotten. People struggling to get appointments, patients whose needs have not been met. Families waiting too long for diagnoses. Women not being believed. I want to bring hope, to bring change, and, most of all, to be a voice for those who have not been heard. I promise I am listening.
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James, there are lots of really welcome questions there. I really thank you for those. Firstly, there are lots of areas of agreement here. You said that social care has been undervalued but that you personally do not see the need for a national care service. Some of the other things I'm going to be talking about in response to what you talked about the social care element of this brief—. We want to make sure that what we have for people is greater than the sum of those parts, that actually there is parity of esteem for people in the workforce. And without being the same status—. It's bizarre, isn't it, that there's never been a founding moment for the care service in the way that we've had with the NHS. We celebrated the NHS's birthday a few days ago; when I was talking about the same space in our psyche, we should be celebrating this work. Most people will come into contact with the NHS and with other areas of public service throughout the course of our lives. Most people only come into contact with the care service when something has either gone wrong with them or someone else they love. So, the invisibility of it for lots of people—we need to increase that status, but again, there are lots of individual elements where I think that we do agree, but that enveloping principle and status and platform for it is why I want it to be greater than the sum of the parts. I'm glad that you agree about the national care academy. In terms of the timescales, a lot of this will take the course of the Senedd. There are some things in terms of the academy that I would want to bring forward far earlier, linked in with the workforce review that we will be conducting very shortly as well. I'm really glad that you mentioned unpaid carers. As you know, this is something that I feel really strongly about as well, and I know this is something really close to your heart. Yes, we will certainly be making the commitments that you have set out, because unpaid carers save our society—and Government, but our society more generally—billions of pounds. But too often, the work they do falls through the gaps in graphs. I'm put in mind of the words of Bobby Kennedy, when he was talking about the gross domestic product and how it measures everything in society, except for all of those things that make life worth living. And this is one of those examples where we need to give greater esteem to the work that they do so that it doesn't go as unnoticed, because we owe unpaid carers more than words or recognition, we owe them a better life. And lots of the things that you set out are just some of those things. I'm aware that, prior to the election, the Health and Social Care Committee's report on unpaid carers made lots of really valuable recommendations, and I'll be responding formally in September. And the national strategy for unpaid care that you asked about, that will be published in the autumn and it will be covering a lot of the areas that you raised. So, thank you for that. On neurodivergence and the idea of an autism Bill, I'm happy to have further conversations about that. I know that there was an awful lot of really valuable work that Paul and others put in to that. On same-day access, well, the focus would be on the person's biggest concern at that moment and prioritising strength and recovery. Evidently, this would have to work in a holistic way. In terms of how that's going to be working, I think there are 21 demonstrator sites already testing over Wales. In the longer term, we would expect to see a shift, of course, in funding from specialist in-patient care to community support. And that brings me to the point that you made about making sure that people from rural areas won't be disadvantaged. We want to focus more on community prevention, where that's the most appropriate, of course. There will still be a need for in-patient care as well. On the women's health plan, you talked about the hub model. I think we need to look at this. There are some examples where it's going well, other examples where we just have websites. That's not always possibly working well, but we are going to be evaluating that. In terms of how a lot of this will be funded, health boards should be funding a lot of this already, of course, because women's health should not be an optional extra. Women are half of the population. This is something that should be in core funding anyway, but we obviously want to make sure that this is done in a way that's going to be sustainable. And on your point about a men's health strategy—now, I welcome you raising this issue. I acknowledge the passion that you and other Members, of course, have brought to this idea. I am prepared to engage with you and other Members on this as a concept, because, of course, you're right that certain health issues are either only apparent in men, or have a disproportionate effect on men. And there's a lot of work, including what I've said about male suicide. The upcoming cancer plan will look at improving rates of diagnosis in areas like prostate cancer. Whether we need to bring that together in one men's health plan, I am open to the idea, and let's have further conversations. But, diolch. Forgive me, if I've missed out any questions, please let me know.
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Diolch, Jayne, for those questions. So, to take them in turn—in terms of women's health, I would pay tribute to the work that Sarah Murphy did, and Eluned Morgan, in the last Senedd. We are really keen to build on the foundations of this, but to make sure that we are giving it the prominence of having a named Minister, so that I can be tracking that progress. So, I would pay tribute. I look forward to welcoming Sarah back when she's back from maternity. I promise that I will keep up the momentum. This is something that, I hope it's coming across, I care very passionately about. In terms of 100-day commitments, well, without it even having to be in the actual plan, I'm hosting a summit on 16 July, which will be well within 100 days, looking at that normalisation of pain in women's healthcare. It was the first thing that I talked about with officials, and I promise that that's something that is going to be key to the work that we are doing. In terms of endometriosis, yes, that's one of the reasons why I wanted to convene this summit, and it's going to be a summit that is going to be hearing directly from women who have gone through too much pain before their symptoms are recognised, as well as clinicians. I know that probably everyone in this Chamber will know someone or might themselves have gone through something like this. It should not be normal for women to have to go for so many appointments before they get the symptom diagnosis that they deserve. So, I want to look at this in terms of, yes, how it is working in hubs, how it's working in primary care, all the way through to tertiary services as well. It's going to be a focus of the women's health plan. In terms of the hubs, some of them are working well. I think that because of the tight timescales that were surrounding their development, maybe they hadn't been developed as holistically as might have been the case. We want to make sure we're learning from the best examples and improving where we need to, but it is something I'm really keen to keep. In terms of the new guidance on endometriosis, I welcome that new guidance, and we'll be considering the implementation of those tests as part of the priority work that we're undertaking with that. I know that it's going to be part of the primary care pathway development following final recommendations from NICE; I think they're due in October. On social care, I agree entirely with what you say about seamless care. One of the things that we are going to be creating in the first 100 days, or we're going to be opening the recruitment for in the first 100 days, is the director of out-of-hospital care. That role is being scoped at the moment. I am hoping that that role will have quite a fundamental role in overseeing this. You mentioned fair pay agreements—those are to be welcomed. We've said that we will be following the same timescales as they will have in England on this, but, obviously, that's something being brought forward by the UK Government, and we want to make sure that, in the meantime, as we wait for all of that to happen, as many carers as possible are receiving the real living wage as a minimum. I think latest figures suggest that 84 per cent of the workforce are getting that and that is still not enough. So, I give you my commitment that we'll do everything we can with that. As I say, the strategy for unpaid carers will be reporting in the autumn. We have committed to continuing to support the short breaks scheme and making sure that we are providing wraparound support for unpaid carers. As I say, policies, not praise. And, then, finally, you asked about mental health and what these changes are going to mean for patients and for families. It would mean that people can access a variety of services without having to have a referral and that support would be based on need, not having to wait a long time to get that referral and to be seen. The focus would be on the person's biggest concern at that moment. I'm really excited, actually, about how that could utterly transform—. We would be the first country in the world to do this as well. I'll be reporting more detail on this very early in the autumn, but I'm really excited about how that could change things for the better for many, many people's lives. Diolch.
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Diolch, Natasha, for those questions. In terms of the women's health strategy and supporting or strengthening women's voices, that is precisely why I want, when we are reviewing the women's health plan—we're commissioning survey work—to make sure that we're hearing directly from women. I want that not to be a one-off; I want to make sure that we keep, and that I keep, hearing from women. And please, everyone, take this as a plea: I want to hear when things are not going well. I want to make things better. So, thank you very much for raising that. On PMOS specifically, you asked—. I know that the guidance—draft guidance—has been published by NICE; the final recommendations won't be available until December. So, in the meantime, I'd urge as many people as possible to contribute to that to make sure it's evidence-based. I like your idea about education because, yes, exactly, empowering women, what I was talking about: women taking up space. However we can do that—working in education, through public awareness campaigns; there are so many different components. And again, I'm willing and eager to work with Members across the Chamber to make sure that we get this message out to women and that we empower them to use their voice and to know that they will be heard. The two things have to work together, and I will certainly be willing to meet with organisations to discuss how we can do that better. I won't repeat what I've said—because I know I'm probably not in the Llywydd's good books at the moment in terms of timing—I won't repeat what I've said on the hubs, but we are evaluating how well they're working. That detail on the gynaecological cancers, that will be available in the written statement later in July—I think it's 15 July. I agree social care should not be a cinderella service. In terms of how we can improve integration and also making sure that we are improving, making sure we're not having so many people waiting in hospital who are well enough to be discharged, the director of out-of-hospital care will be, I hope, overseeing that work, just looking at how frailty is treated at the beginning of when someone goes into hospital and issues like that. On the workforce, establishing the academy will be fundamental to this so that we're not just looking at getting towards parity of pay, we're also looking at how we can get towards parity of conditions—again, parity of esteem. Because I do fundamentally think we need to get to a place where we have a national care service to have that full parity, and I will be responding to that committee report on unpaid carers in September. On mental health, you, finally, asked about improving data and improving prevention—absolutely.
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Thanks, Safa. That's a really important question. As I've said, we will be evaluating the hubs model. I don't think that most people would, when they hear 'a women's health hub', I don't think that they would think that a website would—. I know that there are certain things we need to take into consideration when we've got rural populations, a very dispersed population, but, for the most part, I think we need to be looking to see where there can be physical places. Again, it's about taking up that space physically, but also just making sure that women are empowered in spaces to talk about exactly those symptoms so that we can improve diagnosis rates and, ultimately, save women's lives.
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Diolch, Gareth. That's a really, really important question. In terms of waiting times, we have to tackle this. We have to make this better. In terms of psychological therapies, I know in particular that we are not where we need to be, to say the least. And in terms of the expertise that you have, I would be really pleased to work with you to look at how we might be able to improve that. In terms of how, generally, we need to make this better, this is why I want to oversee that fundamental transformation so that we move to same-day access to mental health services, so that people are not waiting all that time, because, as you say, people can only get worse while they are waiting. It can get incredibly serious. And so, yes, I promise you that this is something that we will be prioritising. I'd be very keen to have a conversation with you about it.
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Diolch. Again, so vitally important as a question. In terms of the delays of diagnosis, as you say, women can sometimes wait years. They are being failed. And yes, as you say, the gender pain gap indeed. I am concerned—. I'm aware of the concern about the risk of loss of British Society for Gynaecology and Endoscopy accreditation for one of those centres. Officials are engaging with the health board urgently on this. I've made it clear that I expect these services should continue to be available. Of course, there—. There is another accredited centre in Swansea Bay University Health Board. There are surgical procedures that are carried out in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. But, still, we need to make sure that the space, again, in theatre is allowed to be taken up by these procedures. Women wait in pain for far too long. But this is something that we are going to be looking at from primary care—again, women being believed, women taking up space in GP appointments—right through to those if someone has deep infiltrating endometriosis, where there will be far fewer women, of course, but, my goodness me, they need that support. So, yes, I promise you that, everything we can do, I will be doing it.
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Thank you, Jane. Thank you for sharing that good news. It is really important to celebrate that, and I will write to you in terms of what that means for us in Wales. But, where there are things to celebrate, where things are going well, we need to do that as well. So, thank you. And I know that the situation in Powys—which is concerning, of course—I know the health board will be looking at that. But, again, just looking at how, across the nation, we can make sure that services are sustainable for the future, again, that director of out-of-hospital care is going to be essential for this. In terms of the specific situation in Powys, again, it’s something for the health board, but if there’s anything that we can do, I will write to you.
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Diolch. A really important question. Obviously, it's quite cyclical that we are in some ways ending where we began, where we were talking about the fundamentals of the social care system that we have, and whether we go back to privatisation, whether we go back to Thatcher. Look, we can't look just at where we've come from; we have to be focusing on where we go from here. Obviously, no-one looking and trying to design a service from scratch would want to design it as it is. There's too much variation. One of the things we're going to be doing is improving data to see which local authorities are spending how much on social care, because it's unhypothecated. We need to make sure that there is, again, as much consistency as possible, as much consistency in commissioning. I want to support local authorities in doing that. They are going to be fundamental partners for us, so we want to work towards a national service with local underpinning, because the people closest to those people who need that support are the people who know the local services, working with regional partnership boards, working with, again, local health boards. We need to be bringing services together, but, again, not just for the sake of services; it's about improving people's lives and making sure that people get that better quality of service. So, yes, that is something fundamental. It's not just important; it underpins where we need to get to, so thank you.
5
Open this sitting on the stage
5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Stillbirth and neonatal mortality cy
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn i ddechrau trwy ddiolch i bob Aelod sydd wedi siarad yn y ddadl bwysig hon. Mae'n arwyddocaol taw dyma ddadl Aelodau cyntaf y Senedd yma, ac rwy'n croesawu'r cyfle i ymateb.
Official English translation
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to start by thanking every Member who has contributed to this important debate. It is significant that this is the first Member debate in this Senedd, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Stillbirth and neonatal mortality en
Stillbirth and neonatal death are not statistics to those who experience them. They are the loss of a baby, of a precious life surrounded by hope and dreams. The death of a baby is one of the most profound and searing pains that any family will ever endure. It is a grief that parents and families go on experiencing for the rest of their lives. I want to thank every parent who has reached out to me, who has reached out to Members in this Senedd to share their experiences. They are determined that other families should not have to face the anguish they have been through to campaign for better care, for stronger support and safer services. I am so grateful to them for their bravery and for their courage in the memory of those they have lost. Every death of a baby matters. Every stillbirth and neonatal death has to be treated with compassion, and parents deserve answers. We have to ensure that families are listened to, that care is safe and can be accessed by everyone, and that the whole system learns when things go devastatingly wrong and acts to reduce avoidable harm. The motion rightly draws attention to the stillbirth rate in Wales, which is higher than the UK rate. It's vital we take this data seriously. We need, of course, to interpret the figures carefully, particularly in a nation like Wales, where relatively small numbers of births mean annual rates can fluctuate significantly. It's true that MBRRACE-UK has advised caution when interpreting year-on-year changes. They recommend looking at trends over a longer period. And it's true, of course, that since 2016 Wales has seen an overall downward trend. But I contend it is not enough. None of that context will lessen a parent's pain. No caveats can make better what any of the families we've heard about today have gone through. We have to see sustained improvement. We need to understand and address what happens when things go so disastrously wrong. And that means focusing on prevention, safety and quality. It means ensuring women receive the right care at the right time, that concerns are heard and acted on, and that families are treated with dignity and respect. I am horrified to hear of the parents being corrected or brushed aside in the way that Elyn raised. It should not be happening.
5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Stillbirth and neonatal mortality cy
Mae hefyd yn golygu adnabod anghydraddoldebau. Rŷn ni’n gwybod bod canlyniadau'n gallu amrywio'n sylweddol fel canlyniad i amddifadiad ac ethnigrwydd. Dyna pham mae'n rhaid i ni unioni'r gwelliannau angenrheidiol yng ngwasanaethau mamolaeth a newyddenedigol gyda'n hymrwymiadau i leihau anghydraddoldebau iechyd a chyflawni'r cynllun Cymru wrth-hiliol. Rwyf hefyd yn ymrwymo i gryfhau ein dull o weithredu'r cynllun iechyd menywod i wella iechyd yn y blynyddoedd cynnar, i sicrhau canlyniadau iechyd gwell ar draws y cwrs bywyd, ac, yn bwysicach fyth, bod anghenion menywod yn cael eu clywed a'u gweithredu arnynt. Mae'r adroddiad 'Y llwybr tuag at ddechrau mwy diogel yng Nghymru' yn ganolog i’n dull gweithredu. Cafodd yr asesiad hwn ei lywio gan ddata, gan ymweliadau safle, trafodaethau gyda staff, lleisiau a phrofiadau menywod, teuluoedd a chymunedau. Mae argymhellion y panel yn nodi bod angen rhoi cynnig o ofal safonol i bawb i fynd i'r afael â blaenoriaethau diogelwch clinigol brys, i sicrhau lefelau staffio diogel a deall yr angen, profiadau a chanlyniadau yn well.
Official English translation
It also means that we need to identify inequalities. We know that outcomes can vary significantly as a result of deprivation and ethnicity. That's why we must align these necessary improvements in maternity and neonatal services with our commitments to reduce health inequalities and to deliver the anti-racist Wales plan. I also commit to strengthening our women's health approach to improve health in the early years, to secure better health outcomes across the course of one's life, and, more importantly, that women's needs are heard and acted upon. The report 'The path to safer beginnings in Wales' will be central to our actions. This assessment was steered by data, by site visits, discussions with staff, the voices and experiences of women, families and communities. The recommendations of the panel set out that we need to provide a standard care offer to everyone to address urgent clinical safety priorities, to secure safe staffing levels, and to understand the needs, experiences and outcomes more effectively.
5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Stillbirth and neonatal mortality en
This Government accepts the recommendations and we will act on them. A three-year programme has been established to oversee delivery, with the oversight board meeting for the first time this month. This is not a report that will gather dust. It is a delivery programme focused on action, on accountability, and on measurable improvement. Work is already under way. All health boards in Wales are now live with Digital Maternity Cymru, which replaces hand-held paper notes with a shared digital maternity record, strengthening data quality and national oversight. I want support to be there for parents when they need it. We are working closely with health boards and the Welsh ambulance service on a dedicated triage and labour line, and supporting improvements to neonatal care with the support of Bliss Cymru. I expect all neonatal units in Wales will achieve at least bronze baby charter accreditation this year. We are also continuing work on early warning surveillance, safer pre-term birth care bundles, and structured learning from incidents where babies' lives are lost. The motion rightly highlights bereavement care. Families must receive compassionate, consistent, high-quality support. I’m deeply concerned about the incidents highlighted today, where clearly that has not always been the case. Bereavement midwives are in place in every health board, alongside third-sector care services. I've heard the point raised about specialist bereavement counsellors. I'll be taking that away, so thank you very much for raising that. The NHS has been working with Sands on five bereavement care pathways covering miscarriage, termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly, stillbirth, neonatal death, and sudden unexpected death in infancies. These pathways have been published today, with additional implementation support in place. I know the Onnen service in Cardiff and Vale has been raised by a few Members. That will be evaluated robustly to ensure that any national roll-out is as effective as possible, that we learn from lessons there in terms of eligibility criteria, in terms of the length of when that is available as well. Members have called for clear targets to reduce stillbirth and neonatal mortality—I understand why. Targets can focus attention; they can signal ambition. Of course, they must be the right targets, supported by robust data. England's experience shows setting a healthcare target is not enough by itself, but I am interested to look at how Digital Maternity Cymru could improve this, could improve our data. I want to focus as well, of course, on how working across all Government portfolios to tackle causes of health inequalities can play its vital part, and so we will consider carefully how measurable ambitions could be framed for Wales, including how they reflect our population, our data and our commitment to reducing inequalities. [Interruption.] I will take an intervention.
5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Stillbirth and neonatal mortality en
Diolch, Darren. As you'll know and as you've referred to, this was something that I have raised in previous years as well. It is something that my teams are working on now to evaluate how this could be done. There are problems technically that have hindered, I think, bringing them in before, partly because we don't have a national records service, which means we're different from Scotland and Northern Ireland. We need to make sure that there's a way that that can be done in a way where the bereavement pathway is supportive of parents. But I can assure you that that is something that we are looking at with urgency, and I'm really grateful that you've raised that. It's something that would support, I know, so many families. Thank you so much for raising that. Dirprwy Lywydd, if I could end, please, by speaking directly to parents who are watching this who have lost their babies. Your babies' lives mattered. What happened to them matters, and the loss you have suffered is something no parent should ever have to undergo. I know I can't begin to imagine what you are going through, but I feel it in my heart. I know I don't have all of the answers, but I want to do everything I can so that fewer families have to face this most devastating of griefs, and that those who do get the support they need when they need it. You are not alone, and I promise we are listening.
5
Open this sitting on the stage
2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Diolch. Llywydd, firstly, I'd like to welcome the Member to her role. I know she brings expertise and experience in this area, and I'm looking forward to working with her to make things better. Can I also say how glad I am that unpaid carers are the focus of spokespeople's questions so early in this Senedd, indeed, in this first question session on health and care? Unpaid carers face too many barriers, including what has been highlighted. Too many are not getting the support they need and deserve. Last week, it was Carers Week, and I visited two events celebrating unpaid carers in Penarth and in the Senedd. I spoke to unpaid carers about the reality of their lives, things going well and the challenges, and they told me that they want policies not praise. I pledge to listen to that. I want to be their voice in Government, to increase the visibility of the work they undertake, work that saves the Government and our society billions of pounds. Now, the Member has raised carers' needs assessments. I am pledging to work with local authorities to make sure that carers receive the assessments when they need them. I understand that, in legislation, there isn't always a guarantee that—. There needs to be a 28-day period for that, but we need to make sure that where there is a need, it happens quickly. The process needs to be streamlined, it needs to be standardised. There is too much inconsistency across local authority areas. They also need to be made more accessible, so it's about the timeliness, it's also about the accessibility, because even the terminology—. You know, we talk about 'assessments'. That can be very off-putting sometimes, I think, for unpaid carers. It can be daunting. I know that the Health and Social Care Committee talked about needing to talk about having a 'what matters' conversation, maybe, instead of an assessment. I pledge that on this and on many other issues, I will do what those carers asked me to do. I will want to be their voice in the Government, I want to be their Minister. I want to keep hearing from them, because they told me, 'Talk to us, not about us', and I plan to honour that.
2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Thank you again for that really important question. I know that in terms of what has been raised in that 'At breaking point' report, currently the team is looking at that. When the new committee is established, we are going to be reporting back on that, and we are giving real consideration to some of those recommendations. We have pledged to protect the short breaks scheme, but also to look at how we can expand opportunities for unpaid carers to benefit from respite and flexible working, because we know, and the Member will know as well, that the short break scheme does work. Surveys show that carers feel more hopeful about the future after benefiting from that scheme, and some of those unpaid carers I met last week talked to me about the isolation they can feel, how family or friends can drift away because they don't understand the stress that the carer is under, and about the importance of respite. One of them told me that what you get to do in your own life is too often an add-on. I promise that I will do all I can to see how we can strengthen that.
2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Thank you for that final question again. As I alluded to earlier, we are looking in terms of, of course, what funding can be made available, and I'm hoping to be in a position to be able to give more information on that soon, but as well as that extra funding, it's making sure that those assessments are done in a timely manner, that they're standardised, that they actually are meeting the needs of unpaid carers, and that we are strengthening their rights. We also want to make sure that unpaid carers are a designated priority group in Government policy. But, look, I want to be a voice in this Government for some of the people in our society who need it most, and I want to champion their needs, to amplify what they say, and I will work with people from all parties and none who are serious about improving the reality of these people's lives. It's what we are in politics to do, and I plan to focus on that.
2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care cy
Diolch. Rŷn ni yn cymryd camau wedi'u targedu i gryfhau a sefydlogi'r gweithlu bydwreigiaeth trwy'r cynllun gweithlu amenedigol strategol, ac rŷn ni'n gweithio gyda'r gwasanaeth iechyd cenedlaethol i gynorthwyo graddedigion i symud i mewn i gyflogaeth, gan gynnwys trwy'r summit graddedigion ar 18 Mehefin.
Official English translation
Thank you. We are taking targeted action to strengthen and stabilise the midwifery workforce through the strategic perinatal workforce plan, and we are working with NHS Wales to help graduates move into employment, including through the graduate summit on 18 June.
2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en
Can I thank you, Jayne, for raising this question? It clearly is an issue very close to your heart, and close to your family, and thank you for the empathy that you brought in that question. Look, I do recognise the concern and the distress that's facing lots of newly qualified midwives—those who are unable to secure posts at this time, when maternity services, as you've just been setting out, continue to face these workforce pressures. I do recognise that. This creates a real risk of losing those newly qualified, trained midwives that we need so much before they can even begin their careers here. It's not a situation that any of us would want to be in. Now, as I said, we are working with NHS Wales to better align education commissioning, vacancies and funded posts. I have met briefly with the RCM. I intend to have a far longer conversation with them. There is a graduate summit, as I mentioned, that is being held on 18 June. That is tomorrow, so this is very timely. We are prioritising this to bring partners together and to focus on those practical actions that we need to support those newly qualified professionals into roles. Now, that work obviously sits alongside the implementation of the strategic perinatal workforce plan. We have to do all we can to retain the talent that we have trained here in Wales, to recruit and support, and to deploy them where they are needed. You have just been setting out, Jayne, how vitally important they are in our society. We all thank them tremendously for the work that they do. It is invaluable. So, thank you very much for raising this really vital question.
Roll-call divisions, by sitting day
70 recorded votes. Official division result.
- For
- 36
- Against
- 31
- Abstain
- 3
- Did not vote
- 0
Counted by Siambr: a sum of the official division rows.
For Against Abstain Unlit desk: did not vote
3 divisions
Members' Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): An NHS first Bill
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- Motion For Agreed
Reform UK Debate: Prostate cancer strategy
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- Motion For Agreed
Welsh Labour Debate: The M4 around Newport
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- Motion Against Agreed
3 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
6 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Regional rugby
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- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Not agreed
- Motion Against Not agreed
Reform UK Debate: Access to HMOs and social housing for foreign nationals
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan a Lynne Neagle For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Family Drug and Alcohol Courts
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- Motion Abstain Agreed
1 division
Debate: Fiscal Reform
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- Motion For Agreed
4 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Default 20 mph speed limit
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The defence sector
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- Motion Against Agreed
5 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Wales and the United Kingdom
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- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle Against Not agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
Welsh Labour Debate: Further education
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- Motion Against Agreed
10 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Grooming gangs
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Paul Davies Against Not agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Not agreed
- Amendment 4tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle For Agreed
- Motion as amended Against Not agreed
- Amendment 3tabled in the name of Paul Davies Against Not agreed
5 divisions
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Deposit-return scheme
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
Reform UK Debate: Bovine TB
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- Motion For Agreed
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Young people and employment
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- Motion For Agreed
2 divisions
Legislative Consent Motion: Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
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- Motion For Agreed
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
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- Motion For Not agreed
4 divisions
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Ophthalmology services
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- Motion Abstain Agreed
Reform UK Debate: The tourism sector
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
4 divisions
Debate: Fair Funding
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- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle Against Not agreed
- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Llŷr Powell Against Not agreed
- Amendment 3tabled in the name of Paul Davies Against Not agreed
- Motion For Not agreed
4 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Nation of Sanctuary
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- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
- Motion Against Not agreed
Welsh Labour Debate: Funding for additional learning needs in the first Supplementary Budget 2026-27
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- Motion Against Agreed
10 divisions
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Hospital services and hospital closures
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Not agreed
- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle Against Agreed
- Amendment 3tabled in the name of Llŷr Powell Against Agreed
- Amendment 4tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle Against Not agreed
- Motion as amended Against Agreed
Reform UK Debate: A Welsh Rivers Act
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Not agreed
- Amendment 3tabled in the name of Paul Davies Against Not agreed
- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle Against Not agreed
4 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Government international spending
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
Reform UK Debate: Statutory register for lobbyists
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- Motion For Agreed
5 divisions
Reform UK Debate: Childcare offer
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- Motion Against Not agreed
- Amendment 1tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan For Agreed
- Amendment 2tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle For Agreed
- Motion as amended For Agreed
Welsh Labour Debate: School support staff negotiating body
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- Motion Abstain Agreed