English: To improve outcomes for children already in care, we know that stable placements are crucial for children to feel secure, have a sense of belonging and be able to fulfil their potential. So, we have a three-year joint education and social services plan, entitled 'Raising the ambitions and educational attainment of children who are looked after in Wales'. This plan is supported by £4 million investment via the pupil development grant and it provides targeted educational support to care experienced children. Whilst it is encouraging that, at key stage 4, 23 per cent of looked-after children in Wales achieved level 2 inclusive - a 10 per cent increase from 2013 - there is still so much to do to reduce the attainment gap further. So, as well as improving education attainment, having a stable placement also enhances children's emotional well-being and resilience. Care experienced children have a greater incidence of poor mental health. To reduce the trauma caused by adverse childhood experiences, we have invested in the establishment of a national ACEs hub, and, through our 'Together for Children and Young People' delivery plan, we have published an agreed care pathway for vulnerable young people, including those looked after to ensure that appropriate referrals are made to access therapeutic support. For families and professionals involved in foster care, we have provided funding for an innovative social pedagogy pilot, which is exploring the impact of a holistic approach to education and life skills. As children develop and make their way through life, we want them to be ambitious and to access opportunities so that they become economically active citizens. Yet, we know that 43 per cent of looked-after children are not in education, employment or training. So, through the Government's youth engagement and progression framework, much work is under way with Careers Wales, youth services, schools, colleges and work-based learning providers to identify and support young people NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. In terms of higher education, we are progressing the recommendations from the Diamond review and are preparing to legislate for the benefit of care leavers so that they may receive the maximum level of maintenance grant to support their education from 2018-19. It would be remiss not to acknowledge today the important fact that between 20 per cent and 30 per cent of young homeless people have been in care. To this end, we have invested £83,000 in the End Youth Homelessness Cymru partnership, which Llamau convenes on our behalf and have recently approved £2.6 million for homelessness projects. Of the 60-plus projects funded, 15 are specifically aimed at preventing homelessness for young people following the positive pathway approach. Finally, we are looking at other innovative ways that we can help young care leavers on their road to independence. For example, we are working with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to consider removing council tax liability from all care leavers aged between 18 and 25. Work to deliver this is in the early stages, but we believe practical help like this will make a real tangible difference. Delivering a step change in outcomes for looked-after children is a key public policy challenge for us all here in Wales. The Government has set a clear policy direction and will continue to listen to the advice of the ministerial advisory group and the voices of front-line professionals and children and young people who are affected. With the support of this Assembly, our ambition must be to help to transform the outcomes of children, by providing a greater focus on prevention and early intervention, to reduce the numbers of children entering care, to improve the outcomes for those already in care, and supporting care leavers towards independent, successful lives. Thank you.
Welsh: I wella canlyniadau ar gyfer plant sydd eisoes yn derbyn gofal, gwyddom fod lleoliadau sefydlog yn hanfodol i blant deimlo'n ddiogel, i gael ymdeimlad o berthyn a gallu cyflawni eu potensial. Felly, mae gennym ni gynllun addysg a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol tair blynedd, o'r enw 'Codi uchelgais a chyrhaeddiad addysgol plant sy'n derbyn gofal yng Nghymru'. Cefnogir y cynllun hwn gan fuddsoddiad o £4 miliwn drwy'r grant datblygu disgyblion, ac mae'n darparu cymorth addysgol wedi'i dargedu i blant sydd wedi cael profiad o dderbyn gofal. Er ei fod yn galonogol, yng nghyfnod allweddol 4, bod 23 y cant o'r plant sy'n derbyn gofal yng Nghymru wedi cyflawni lefel 2 cynhwysol - cynnydd o 10 y cant o 2013 - mae llawer i'w wneud o hyd i leihau'r bwlch cyrhaeddiad. Felly, yn ogystal â gwella cyrhaeddiad addysg, mae bod â lleoliad sefydlog hefyd yn gwella cydnerthedd a lles emosiynol plant. Ceir mwy o achosion o iechyd meddwl gwael ymhlith plant sydd wedi cael profiad o dderbyn gofal. I leihau'r trawma a achosir gan brofiadau niweidiol yn ystod plentyndod, rydym ni wedi buddsoddi er mwyn sefydlu canolfan genedlaethol i fynd i'r afael â phrofiadau niweidiol yn ystod plentyndod, a, thrwy ein cynllun cyflawni 'Law yn llaw dros Blant a Phobl Ifanc', rydym ni wedi cyhoeddi llwybr gofal y cytunwyd arno ar gyfer pobl ifanc sy'n agored i niwed, gan gynnwys y rhai hynny sy'n derbyn gofal i sicrhau y gwneir atgyfeiriadau priodol i gael mynediad at gymorth therapiwtig. Ar gyfer teuluoedd a gweithwyr proffesiynol sy'n ymwneud â gofal maeth, rydym ni wedi darparu cyllid ar gyfer cynllun treialu addysgeg gymdeithasol arloesol, sy'n archwilio effaith ymagwedd gyfannol at addysg a sgiliau bywyd. Fel y mae plant yn datblygu ac yn gwneud eu ffordd trwy fywyd, rydym ni'n dymuno iddyn nhw fod yn uchelgeisiol ac i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd er mwyn iddyn nhw fod yn ddinasyddion economaidd weithgar. Ac eto, gwyddom nad yw 43 y cant o blant sy'n derbyn gofal mewn addysg, cyflogaeth na hyfforddiant. Felly, drwy fframwaith ymgysylltu a dilyniant pobl ifanc y Llywodraeth, mae llawer o waith yn mynd rhagddo gyda Gyrfa Cymru, gwasanaethau ieuenctid, ysgolion, colegau a darparwyr dysgu seiliedig ar waith i nodi a chefnogi pobl ifanc nad ydynt mewn addysg, cyflogaeth na hyfforddiant neu sydd mewn perygl o fod yn hynny. O ran addysg uwch, rydym ni'n gwneud cynnydd ar yr argymhellion o adolygiad Diamond ac yn paratoi i ddeddfu er budd y rhai sy'n gadael gofal er mwyn iddyn nhw allu derbyn uchafswm y grant cynhaliaeth i gefnogi eu haddysg o 2018-19 ymlaen. Byddwn ar fai heddiw pe na byddwn yn cydnabod y ffaith bwysig bod rhwng 20 a 30 y cant o bobl ifanc ddigartref wedi bod yn derbyn gofal. I'r perwyl hwn, rydym ni wedi buddsoddi £83,000 yn y bartneriaeth End Youth Homelessness Cymru, y mae Llamau yn ei chynnal ar ein rhan ac sydd wedi cymeradwyo £2.6 miliwn ar gyfer prosiectau digartrefedd yn ddiweddar. O'r dros 60 o brosiectau a ariennir, nod benodol 15 ohonynt yw atal digartrefedd i bobl ifanc drwy ddilyn y dull llwybr cadarnhaol. Yn olaf, rydym ni'n ystyried ffyrdd arloesol eraill y gallwn ni eu defnyddio i helpu pobl ifanc sy'n gadael gofal ar eu ffordd i annibyniaeth. Er enghraifft, rydym ni'n gweithio gydag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid i ystyried dileu'r rwymedigaeth i dalu'r dreth gyngor i bob un sy'n gadael gofal sydd rhwng 18 a 25 oed. Mae'r gwaith i gyflawni hyn yn y camau cynnar, ond credwn y bydd cymorth ymarferol fel hyn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol. Mae cyflawni newid arwyddocaol yn y canlyniadau ar gyfer plant sy'n derbyn gofal yn her polisi cyhoeddus allweddol i bob un ohonom ni yma yng Nghymru. Mae'r Llywodraeth wedi pennu cyfeiriad polisi clir a bydd yn parhau i wrando ar gyngor y grŵp cynghori'r gweinidog, a lleisiau'r gweithwyr proffesiynol rheng flaen a'r plant a'r bobl ifanc sy'n cael eu heffeithio. Gyda chymorth y Cynulliad hwn, mae'n rhaid i helpu i weddnewid canlyniadau i blant fod yn uchelgais i ni, a hynny drwy roi mwy o bwyslais ar atal ac ymyrraeth gynnar, lleihau nifer y plant sy'n dechrau derbyn gofal, gwella canlyniadau y rhai sydd eisoes yn derbyn gofal, a chefnogi'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal i fyw bywydau annibynnol a llwyddiannus. Diolch.