English: The women's pathfinder whole-system approach concentrates on early intervention and prevention, taking a holistic and rehabilitative approach to divert women away from crime, and supporting women to access community-based services through one-to-one support. The practical help and guidance provided is essential, especially in light of the cost-of-living crisis. A recent evaluation underlined just how effectively this project is improving the lives of vulnerable women in Wales who may not otherwise have engaged at that point in their involvement with the justice system. Under the blueprint, diversion services are now in place for women across all of the four police force areas in Wales. Another development is a new gender- and trauma-informed training package for those working with women in the justice system. Aimed at upskilling staff with the expertise and confidence to take a gender-informed approach, this training is currently being rolled out to all agencies working in the criminal justice landscape. The Visiting Mums service, jointly funded by Welsh Government and HMPPS, helps Welsh mothers maintain a positive relationship with their children throughout their prison sentence, offering specialist support to preserve and strengthen vital family ties. Between June 2021 and August 2022, the programme has supported 68 families. Previous visits I've undertaken to HMP Eastwood Park and HMP Styal have enabled me to see first-hand the encouraging work being delivered by the women's justice blueprint, including the Nelson Trust ONE Women's Centre at HMP Eastwood Park. This will provide a single, holistic service for all women at the site up to 12 months before their release into the community, linking a range of services together. I can also confirm that discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Justice and other key stakeholders on the proposed residential women's centre. The centre will provide holistic, trauma-informed support for women in the criminal justice system, and an alternative to disruptive and unnecessary custodial sentences. Dirprwy Lywydd, we know that 57 per cent of women currently coming into contact with the criminal justice system are victims of domestic abuse. Sixty-three per cent of girls and young women serving sentences in the community have also experienced rape or domestic abuse in an intimate partner relationship. There are also links between poverty and violence, with strong evidence highlighting that high levels of income inequality are a strong predictor of violent crime. The residential women's centre is a pilot for the UK to demonstrate that there can be an alternative to imprisonment. I now turn to the youth justice blueprint, which is embedding a trauma-informed, child-first approach to justice. Under the blueprint, enhanced case management is now available to all youth offending teams in Wales for children in voluntary and statutory contact. This psychologically led, multi-agency approach recognises the trauma that young people have experienced, and identifies how to help them build the resilience they need to thrive and live crime-free lives. Additionally, the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee is now providing funding to support the forensic adolescent consultation and treatment service. This has embedded a psychological, trauma-informed model for youth offending teams across Wales, enhancing the support provided to vulnerable young people. Work is progressing on a youth justice prevention framework to support children at risk of entering the criminal justice system. This builds on existing investment, such as promoting positive engagement, which is funded from the Welsh Government children and communities grant, and the grant funds projects on diversion, prevention and support for young people, to facilitate change in their behaviour. In January 2021, we outlined our vision for children to be accommodated in small homes close to their communities, and having access to services and specialist wraparound support that meet their needs. A small homes programme board, led by the Welsh Government and involving the Ministry of Justice and the UK Government Department for Education, will drive this ambitious work. This is only a brief snapshot of our achievements, which are set out in full in the implementation plans. On 26 October we also published an evaluation, which gives a powerful sense of the impact the blueprints are making in practice. On Thursday, I will be speaking at the women's justice blueprint conference, providing a further opportunity to share the outcomes of the programme. Delegates will also hear from women including Danielle John, who has received life-changing support from the blueprints and who has offered invaluable expertise to our work, including through sharing her own lived experience. The blueprints are being held up as an exemplary model for delivering key, cross-cutting policies in partnership, which is now being replicated elsewhere. Our VAWDASV national strategy, published in May, is being delivered through the same blueprint approach, with a strong focus on survivor experience and influence. I welcome the Equality and Social Justice Committee's inquiry on women in the criminal justice system. I look forward to receiving the committee's report, which I know will reflect the challenges women in the justice system still face. Women are still being sentenced to unnecessary and disruptive custodial sentences, which can have a profound impact on their children and create substantial knock-on issues in areas such as health and housing. I am pleased that the blueprints have helped to mitigate some of these issues, but only a radical change to how women are treated across the system will truly address the underlying causes of these challenges. That's why we continue to drive forward work on the residential women's centre, and on informing sentencers about the impact of imprisonment. The support provided to women, children and young people through the blueprint is now more important than ever before. The cost-of-living crisis is putting pressure on families and communities across Wales, and at times like these it is crucial to ensure that women and young people are supported to access the services they need. To close, Dirprwy Lywydd, I would like to mention briefly the important next steps on our vision for justice, which was set out in May in our publication 'Delivering Justice for Wales'. Our vision focuses on prevention, recognising that only in delivering social justice can we truly address the underlying reasons for pressures on the justice system. We want to talk about the shared vision we think exists for a distinctive Welsh approach to justice, and I will keep Members informed as these discussions evolve. I would also like to acknowledge the recent publication of 'The Welsh Criminal Justice System: On the Jagged Edge' by authors at the Wales Governance Centre, Robert Jones and Richard Wyn Jones. This book will provide a useful contribution as we seek to progress this shared vision. As justice remains at present a reserved matter, we will continue with our collaborative and productive approach to reducing crime and reoffending, to create a better Wales for all under the current system, alongside work to progress the case for the devolution of justice in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.
Welsh: Mae dull system gyfan y rhaglen fraenaru i fenywod yn canolbwyntio ar ymyrraeth ac atal cynnar, gan gymryd agwedd gyfannol ac adsefydlol i ddargyfeirio menywod o droseddu, a chefnogi menywod i gael mynediad at wasanaethau yn y gymuned trwy gymorth un-i-un. Mae'r cymorth a'r arweiniad ymarferol a ddarperir yn hanfodol, yn enwedig yng ngoleuni'r argyfwng costau byw. Pwysleisiodd gwerthusiad diweddar pa mor effeithiol y mae'r prosiect hwn yn gwella bywydau menywod sy'n agored i niwed yng Nghymru na fyddai, o bosibl, fel arall, wedi ymwneud bryd hynny â'r system gyfiawnder. O dan y glasbrint, mae gwasanaethau dargyfeirio bellach ar waith ar gyfer menywod ym mhob un o bedair ardal yr heddlu yng Nghymru. Datblygiad arall yw pecyn hyfforddi newydd ar gyfer y rhai sy'n gweithio gyda menywod yn y system gyfiawnder sy'n rhoi sylw i rywedd a thrawma. Diben yr hyfforddiant hwn yw cynyddu sgiliau staff gan roi iddynt yr arbenigedd a'r hyder i ystyried rhywedd. Caiff ei gyflwyno ar hyn o bryd i'r holl asiantaethau sy'n gweithio yn y maes cyfiawnder troseddol. Mae'r gwasanaeth Ymweld â Mam, a ariennir ar y cyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru a'r Gwasanaeth Carchardai a Phrawf, yn helpu mamau Cymru i gynnal perthynas gadarnhaol â'u plant drwy gydol eu dedfryd o garchar, gan gynnig cymorth arbenigol i gadw a chryfhau cysylltiadau teuluol hanfodol. Rhwng Mehefin 2021 ac Awst 2022, mae'r rhaglen wedi cefnogi 68 teulu. Mae ymweliadau blaenorol yr wyf wedi bod arnynt â charchar Eastwood Park a charchar Styal wedi fy ngalluogi i weld â'm llygaid fy hun y gwaith gwych a wneir gan lasbrint cyfiawnder menywod, gan gynnwys Canolfan Menywod Ymddiriedolaeth Nelson yng ngharchar Eastwood Park. Bydd hyn yn darparu un gwasanaeth cynhwysfawr i bob menyw ar y safle hyd at 12 mis cyn iddynt gael eu rhyddhau i'r gymuned, gan gysylltu ystod o wasanaethau gyda'i gilydd. Gallaf hefyd gadarnhau bod trafodaethau'n parhau gyda'r Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder a rhanddeiliaid allweddol eraill ar y ganolfan breswyl arfaethedig i fenywod. Bydd y ganolfan yn darparu cefnogaeth gynhwysfawr, gan roi sylw i drawma, i fenywod yn y system cyfiawnder troseddol, ac yn ddewis arall yn lle dedfrydau trafferthus a diangen. Dirprwy Lywydd, rydym yn gwybod bod 57 y cant o fenywod sy'n dod i gysylltiad â'r system cyfiawnder troseddol ar hyn o bryd yn rai sydd wedi dioddef cam-drin domestig. Mae 63% o ferched a menywod ifanc sy'n treulio dedfrydau yn y gymuned hefyd wedi profi trais rhywiol neu gam-drin domestig wrth law cymar agos. Mae cysylltiadau rhwng tlodi a thrais hefyd, gyda thystiolaeth gref yn amlygu bod anghydraddoldeb incwm sylweddol yn rhagfynegydd cryf o droseddau treisgar. Mae'r ganolfan breswyl i fenywod yn beilot ar gyfer y Deyrnas Unedig i ddangos bod modd cael dewis arall yn lle carcharu. Rwyf nawr yn troi at y glasbrint cyfiawnder ieuenctid, sy'n ystyried cyfiawnder o safbwynt trawma ac sy'n rhoi'r plentyn yn gyntaf. O dan y glasbrint, mae rheolaeth achos well bellach ar gael i bob tîm troseddau ieuenctid yng Nghymru ar gyfer plant mewn cyswllt gwirfoddol a statudol. Mae'r dull seicolegol hwn yn cydnabod y trawma y mae pobl ifanc wedi'i brofi, ac mae'n nodi sut i'w helpu i adeiladu'r cydnerthedd sydd ei angen arnynt i ffynnu a byw bywydau di-drosedd. Yn ogystal, mae Pwyllgor Gwasanaethau Iechyd Arbenigol Cymru bellach yn darparu cyllid i gefnogi'r gwasanaeth triniaeth ac ymgynghori fforensig y glasoed. Mae hyn wedi mabwysiadu model seicolegol, gyd aphwyslais ar drawma, ar gyfer timau troseddau ieuenctid ledled Cymru, gan wella'r cymorth sy'n cael ei roi i bobl ifanc sy'n agored i niwed. Mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo ar fframwaith cyfiawnder atal troseddu ymysg ieuenctid i gefnogi plant sydd mewn perygl o fynd i'r system cyfiawnder troseddol. Mae hyn yn adeiladu ar fuddsoddiad sy'n bodoli eisoes, megis hyrwyddo ymgysylltu cadarnhaol, a ariennir gan grant plant a chymunedau Llywodraeth Cymru, ac mae'r grant yn ariannu prosiectau ar ddargyfeirio, atal a chefnogi pobl ifanc, er mwyn hwyluso newid yn eu hymddygiad. Ym mis Ionawr 2021, fe wnaethom ni amlinellu ein gweledigaeth i blant gael llety mewn cartrefi bach sy'n agos at eu cymunedau, a chael mynediad at wasanaethau a chefnogaeth gofleidiol arbenigol sy'n diwallu eu hanghenion. Bydd bwrdd rhaglenni cartrefi bach, dan arweiniad Llywodraeth Cymru ac sy'n cynnwys y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder ac Adran Addysg Llywodraeth y DU, yn sbarduno'r gwaith uchelgeisiol hwn. Dim ond cipolwg byr yw hwn o'n cyflawniadau, sydd wedi'u nodi'n llawn yn y cynlluniau gweithredu. Ar 26 Hydref fe wnaethom ni hefyd gyhoeddi gwerthusiad, sy'n rhoi ymdeimlad grymus o'r effaith y mae'r glasbrintiau'n ei wneud yn ymarferol. Ddydd Iau, byddaf yn siarad yng nghynhadledd glasbrint cyfiawnder menywod, gan roi cyfle pellach i rannu canlyniadau'r rhaglen. Bydd cynrychiolwyr hefyd yn clywed gan fenywod gan gynnwys Danielle John, sydd wedi cael cefnogaeth sy'n newid bywydau gan y glasbrintiau ac sydd wedi cynnig arbenigedd amhrisiadwy i'n gwaith, gan gynnwys trwy rannu ei phrofiad byw ei hun. Mae'r glasbrintiau'n cael eu cynnal fel model enghreifftiol ar gyfer darparu polisïau allweddol, trawsbynciol mewn partneriaeth, sydd bellach yn cael ei efelychu mewn mannau eraill. Mae ein strategaeth genedlaethol, VAWDASV, a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Mai, yn cael ei darparu trwy'r un dull glasbrint, gan roi pwyslais sylweddol ar brofiad a dylanwad goroeswyr. Rwy'n croesawu ymchwiliad y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ar fenywod yn y system cyfiawnder troseddol. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at dderbyn adroddiad y pwyllgor, a fydd, rwy'n gwybod, yn adlewyrchu'r heriau y mae menywod yn y system gyfiawnder yn dal i'w hwynebu. Mae menywod yn dal i gael eu dedfrydu i ddedfrydau diangen a thrafferthus o dan glo, sy'n gallu cael effaith ddofn ar eu plant a chreu problemau sylweddol mewn meysydd fel iechyd a thai. Rwy'n falch bod y glasbrintiau wedi helpu i liniaru rhai o'r materion hyn, ond dim ond newid radical i'r ffordd y mae menywod yn cael eu trin ar draws y system fydd wir yn mynd i'r afael ag achosion sylfaenol yr heriau hyn. Dyna pam rydym yn parhau i weithio ar y ganolfan breswyl i fenywod, ac ar hysbysu dedfrydwyr am effaith carcharu. Mae'r gefnogaeth a roddir i fenywod, plant a phobl ifanc drwy'r glasbrint bellach yn bwysicach nag erioed o'r blaen. Mae'r argyfwng costau byw yn rhoi pwysau ar deuluoedd a chymunedau ledled Cymru, ac ar adegau fel hyn mae'n hanfodol sicrhau bod menywod a phobl ifanc yn cael cymorth i gael mynediad i'r gwasanaethau maen nhw eu hangen. I gloi, Dirprwy Lywydd, hoffwn grybwyll yn fyr y camau nesaf pwysig ar ein gweledigaeth am gyfiawnder, a gafodd ei nodi ym mis Mai yn ein cyhoeddiad 'Sicrhau Cyfiawnder i Gymru'. Mae ein gweledigaeth yn canolbwyntio ar atal, gan gydnabod mai dim ond wrth ddarparu cyfiawnder cymdeithasol y gallwn ni fynd i'r afael yn wirioneddol â'r rhesymau sylfaenol dros bwysau ar y system gyfiawnder. Mae arnom ni eisiau siarad am y weledigaeth gyffredin a gredwn ni sy'n bodoli ar gyfer agwedd Gymreig unigryw tuag at gyfiawnder, a byddaf yn rhoi gwybod i'r Aelodau wrth i'r trafodaethau hyn esblygu. Hoffwn hefyd gydnabod cyhoeddiad diweddar 'The Welsh Criminal Justice System: On the Jagged Edge' gan awduron yng Nghanolfan Llywodraethiant Cymru, Robert Jones a Richard Wyn Jones. Bydd y llyfr hwn yn rhoi cyfraniad defnyddiol wrth i ni geisio bwrw ymlaen â'r weledigaeth gyffredin hon. Wrth i gyfiawnder barhau ar hyn o bryd yn fater sydd wedi'i gadw'n ôl, byddwn yn parhau gyda'n dull cydweithredol a chynhyrchiol o leihau trosedd ac aildroseddu, er mwyn creu Cymru well i bawb o dan y system bresennol, ochr yn ochr â gwaith i ddatblygu'r ddadl dros ddatganoli cyfiawnder yng Nghymru. Diolch yn fawr.