Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
We have made significant progress in Wales in upholding children’s rights, particularly in relation to two specific recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Concluding Observations Report in 2016– introducing legislation to remove the defence of reasonable punishment and reducing the voting age for young people.


**Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020,**


I am delighted the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 has been signed into Welsh law.  We should be proud our nation has taken forward this important reform to ensure children are protected from physical punishment.  This is a right afforded to every child, in accordance with article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).


When the Act comes into force on 21 March 2022 the defence of reasonable punishment will no longer be available within Wales. This will mean that physical punishment of children is prohibited.


We are promoting positive parenting, including positive alternatives to physical punishment, through our Parenting – Give it Time campaign; guidance for parenting practitioners and through programmes like Flying Start and Families First. It is our aim that the change in the law, combined with an awareness\-raising campaign and support for parents, will reduce both the use and tolerance of the physical punishment of children in Wales.


**The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020**


Giving young people a voice in our democracy encourages life\-long voting habits and engagement. The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 extends the right to vote in Senedd elections to 16 and 17\-year\-olds and qualifying foreign citizens.


To enable 16 and 17\-year\-olds to vote in local government elections, the Welsh Government has introduced the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill.


Passing the legislation is only a first step to giving young people their rights to say what they think should happen about decisions which affect them. We are working to improve political literacy and inspire young people to engage in democratic debate and understand why they should register to vote.


This anniversary takes place during unprecedented times.  Our children and young people have faced – and will continue to face – challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Children’s rights remain at the heart of the work of the Welsh Government. This is one of the reasons, together with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Children in Wales and the Youth Parliament, I launched the *Coronavirus and Me* survey in May. This was a UK first and recognised by UNICEF as an example to be followed by countries across the globe.


It gave children and young people the opportunity to tell us about their experiences, feelings and worries about the pandemic. More than 23,700 children and young people took part. You can view the initial findings here https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/coronavirus\-and\-me\-results/.


The results have already informed Welsh Government decisions. The majority of children said they were worried about missing out on their education. We have listened to and acted on this feedback, providing all pupils with the opportunity to check in, catch up and prepare for summer and September.


Supporting the emotional and mental wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for us. As part of our whole school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing, we have announced a range of support for learners. We are also developing teacher training modules on child development, mental health and neurodiversity to ensure teachers are able to spot the early signs of problems in the classroom and know how and when to refer to specialist services if and when required.


We continue to invest to improve specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for all those who need it and we are working to improve access for young people, including reducing waiting times and establishing neurodevelopment teams in each health board. Fewer children and young people have are waiting a long time to access specialist CAMHS support.


We know many families rely on free school meals to ensure their child receives a healthy meal every day. The Welsh Government, together with the Welsh Local Government Association, launched a campaign to ensure every pupil entitled to receive free school lunches and free school milk receives them. On 30 May, 37% more children were in receipt of free school meals than on 14 January. The Welsh Government has allocated an additional £40m to ensure all eligible children continue to receive free school meals throughout the summer. We are also ensuring vulnerable individuals and families seeking urgent support and access to food via independent food banks are provided with food.


**Children’s Rights Scheme**


We are changing our approach to reporting progress in relation to children’s rights. Our 2014 children’s rights scheme set out our intention to report compliance against the due regard duty under section 1 of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 every two\-and\-a\-half years – a more ambitious timeline than the five\-year reporting cycle required by section 4 of the Measure.


In light of the coronavirus pandemic and the need to focus resources towards the response, we will be reverting to the five\-year reporting cycle, which is based on article 44(1\)(b) of the UNCRC. This will also allow us to focus on an updated children’s rights scheme, which we intend to publish for consultation in due course. We will report compliance against the due regard duty in January 2023, covering the period February 2018 to December 2022\.


As the Deputy Minister with responsibility for children I try to do everything in my power to put children and young people at the forefront of the conversation. I hope to arrange an interactive event with young people early in the Spring 2021 to celebrate the achievements of the children’s agenda in Wales.


As we look towards restart and recovery the Welsh Government will continue to take every opportunity to reinforce and strengthen our commitment to ensuring children and young people are able to live their lives in a way that allows them to flourish in a safe and nurturing environment. Our commitment to children’s rights remains resolute.







Translation:


 
Rydym wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol yng Nghymru o ran cynnal hawliau plant, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â dau argymhelliad penodol a wnaed gan Sylwadau Terfynol Pwyllgor y CU ar Hawliau’r Plentyn yn 2016, sef cyflwyno deddfwriaeth i ddileu amddiffyniad cosb resymol a gostwng yr oedran pleidleisio i bobl ifanc.


**Deddf Plant (Diddymu Amddiffyniad Cosb Resymol) (Cymru) 2020**


Rwyf wrth fy modd bod Deddf Plant (Diddymu Amddiffyniad Cosb Resymol) (Cymru) 2020 wedi’i llofnodi a’i gwneud yn rhan o gyfraith Cymru. Dylai fod yn destun balchder inni bod ein cenedl wedi gweithredu’r cam diwygio pwysig hwn i sicrhau bod plant yn cael eu diogelu rhag cosb gorfforol. Mae hon yn hawl sy’n perthyn i bob plentyn, yn unol ag erthygl 19 o Gonfensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau’r Plentyn.


Pan ddaw’r Ddeddf i rym ar 21 Mawrth 2022, ni fydd amddiffyniad cosb resymol ar gael mwyach yng Nghymru. Bydd cosbi plant yn gorfforol, felly, wedi’i wahardd.


Rydym yn annog rhieni i fagu eu plant mewn ffordd gadarnhaol, gan gynnwys dulliau positif i ddisodli cosbi corfforol, drwy ein hymgyrch Magu Plant. Rhowch Amser Iddo; canllawiau i ymarferwyr sy’n gweithio gyda rhieni; a rhaglenni fel Dechrau’n Deg a Teuluoedd yn Gyntaf. Ein nod yw y bydd y newid yn y gyfraith, ynghyd ag ymgyrch codi ymwybyddiaeth a chefnogi rhieni, yn lleihau’r arfer o gosbi plant yn gorfforol yng Nghymru a’r graddau y goddefir hynny.


**Deddf Senedd ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2020**


Mae rhoi llais i bobl ifanc yn ein democratiaeth yn hyrwyddo arferion pleidleisio a brwdfrydedd dros bleidleisio sy’n para am oes. Mae Deddf Senedd ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2020 yn ymestyn yr hawl i bobl ifanc 16 ac 17 oed a dinasyddion tramor cymwys bleidleisio yn etholiadau’r Senedd.


Er mwyn galluogi pobl ifanc 16 ac 17 oed i bleidleisio mewn etholiadau llywodraeth leol, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cyflwyno Bil Llywodraeth Leol ac Etholiadau (Cymru).


Cam cyntaf yn unig yw pasio’r ddeddfwriaeth yn yr ymgais i roi i bobl ifanc eu hawliau i ddweud beth maen nhw’n meddwl ddylai ddigwydd mewn penderfyniadau sy’n effeithio arnyn nhw. Rydym yn gweithio i wella llythrennedd gwleidyddol ac ysbrydoli pobl ifanc i gyfrannu at drafodaethau democrataidd a deall pam y dylent gofrestru i bleidleisio.


Mae'r dyddiad yr ydym yn ei nodi yn cwympo yn ystod cyfnod na welwyd ei debyg o’r blaen.


Mae ein plant a'n pobl ifanc wedi wynebu heriau o ganlyniad i bandemig y coronafeirws, ac fe fydd hynny’n parhau. Mae hawliau plant yn parhau i fod yn ganolog i waith Llywodraeth Cymru. Dyna un o’r rhesymau pam y gwnes i, ynghyd â Chomisiynydd Plant Cymru, Plant yng Nghymru a'r Senedd Ieuenctid, lansio arolwg 'Coronafeirws a Fi' ym mis Mai. Dyma’r cyntaf o’i fath yn y DU a chafodd ei gydnabod gan UNICEF fel enghraifft i'w ddilyn gan wledydd ledled y byd.


Rhoddodd gyfle i blant a phobl ifanc ddweud wrthym am eu profiadau, eu teimladau a'u pryderon am y pandemig. Ymatebdd dros 23,700 o blant a phobl ifanc. Mae’r canfyddiadau cychwynnol i’w gweld yma  https://www.complantcymru.org.uk/coronafeirws\-a\-fi\-canlyniadau/ 


Mae'r canlyniadau eisoes wedi llywio penderfyniadau gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Dywedodd y rhan fwyaf o blant eu bod yn poeni eu bod ar ei hôl hi gyda’u haddysg. Rydym wedi gwrando ar yr adborth hwn, ac wedi gweithredu arno, gan roi cyfle i bob disgybl 'ailgydio, dal i fyny a pharatoi’ ar gyfer yr haf a mis Medi.


Mae cefnogi lles emosiynol a meddyliol plant a phobl ifanc yn flaenoriaeth i ni. Fel rhan o'n dull ysgol\-gyfan o weithredu ynghylch lles emosiynol a meddyliol, rydym wedi cyhoeddi amrywiaeth o gymorth i ddysgwyr. Rydym hefyd yn datblygu modiwlau hyfforddi athrawon ar ddatblygiad plant, iechyd meddwl a niwroamrywiaeth i sicrhau bod athrawon yn gallu gweld arwyddion cynnar problemau yn yr ystafell ddosbarth a’u bod yn gwybod sut a phryd i gyfeirio disgyblion at wasanaethau arbenigol os a phan fo angen.


Rydym yn parhau i fuddsoddi yn y broses o wella gwasanaethau arbenigol gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a'r glasoed (CAMHS) i bawb sydd eu hangen ac rydym yn gweithio i wella mynediad i bobl ifanc, gan gynnwys cwtogi amseroedd aros a sefydlu timau niwroddatblygu ym mhob Bwrdd Iechyd. Mae llai o blant a phobl ifanc yn gorfod aros am gyfnod hir i gael cymorth CAMHS arbenigol.


Gwyddom fod llawer o deuluoedd yn dibynnu ar brydau ysgol am ddim i sicrhau bod eu plentyn yn cael pryd iach o fwyd bob dydd. Ar y cyd â Chymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru, lansiodd Llywodraeth Cymru ymgyrch yn y cyfryngau i sicrhau bod pob disgybl sydd â'r hawl i gael cinio ysgol am ddim a llaeth ysgol am ddim yn eu cael. Ar 30 Mai, roedd 37% yn fwy o blant yn cael prydau ysgol am ddim nag ar 14 Ionawr. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi neilltuo £40m ychwanegol i sicrhau bod pob plentyn cymwys yn parhau i gael prydau ysgol am ddim drwy gydol yr haf.


Rydym hefyd yn sicrhau y darperir bwyd i unigolion a theuluoedd agored i niwed sy'n ceisio cymorth brys a mynediad at fwyd drwy fanciau bwyd annibynnol.


**Cynllun Hawliau Plant**


Rydym yn newid ein dull o adrodd ar gynnydd mewn perthynas â hawliau plant. Nododd ein cynllun hawliau plant yn 2014 ein bwriad i roi gwybod am gydymffurfiaeth mewn perthynas â’r ddyletswydd ‘sylw dyledus' o dan adran 1 o Fesur Hawliau Plant a Phobl Ifanc (Cymru) 2011 bob dwy flynedd a hanner – amserlen fwy uchelgeisiol na'r cylch adrodd pum mlynedd sy'n ofynnol o dan adran 4 o'r Mesur. 


Yn sgil pandemig y coronafeirws a'r angen i ganolbwyntio adnoddau ar yr ymateb, byddwn yn dychwelyd i'r cylch adrodd pum mlynedd sy’n seiliedig ar Erthygl 44 (1\) (b) Confensiwn y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar Hawliau'r Plentyn.


Bydd hyn yn ein galluogi hefyd i ganolbwyntio ar fersiwn wedi’i ddiweddaru o’r cynllun hawliau plant y bwriadwn ei gyhoeddi at ddibenion ymgynghori maes o law. Byddwn yn adrodd ar gydymffurfiad mewn perthynas â’r ddyletswydd sylw dyledus ym mis Ionawr 2023, gan gynnwys y cyfnod o fis Chwefror 2018 hyd nes fis Rhagfyr 2022\.


Fel y Dirprwy Weinidog â chyfrifoldeb dros blant, rwy’n ceisio gwneud popeth yn fy ngallu i roi plant a phobl ifanc ar frig pob trafodaeth. Rwy’n gobeithio trefnu digwyddiad rhyngweithiol gyda phobl ifanc yn gynnar yn ystod gwanwyn 2021 i ddathlu llwyddiannau'r agenda plant yng Nghymru.


Wrth inni edrych tuag at ailgychwyn ac adfer, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i fanteisio ar bob cyfle i atgyfnerthu a chryfhau ein hymrwymiad i sicrhau bod plant a phobl ifanc yn gallu byw eu bywydau mewn ffordd sy'n eu galluogi i ffynnu, mewn amgylchedd diogel a meithringar. Mae ein hymrwymiad at hawliau plant yn parhau i fod yn ddiwyro.