English: As indicated by research from the Department for Education, the most vulnerable carers are those who are unsupported and whose responsibilities are disproportionate to their own age and maturity. As recommended by Estyn, the first task for educational sites should be to identify those students that do have caring responsibilities and to go further by compiling a record of the total number of young carers who are undertaking various educational programmes and qualifications whilst juggling these caring responsibilities in the home. To reiterate, what distinguishes a young carer are that their responsibilities persist over time and that their input is elemental to maintaining the health or well-being of a family member, or indeed a friend. Now, in order to support students in the most appropriate way, these carers do need to be identified as early as possible. For this reason, as Conservatives, we are proposing that the Welsh Government do introduce ID cards for carers. This will benefit them by preventing them from repeating their circumstances, which find them so disaggregated from normal life in school or other forms of education, and help them to enhance communication with educational and other health professionals that they find they have no choice other than to interact with. The success of this guidance is epitomised by Coleg Gwent, which has developed a strategy to specifically support young carers from pre-entry to post-completion. That is to say that prospective and current students with caring responsibilities at Coleg Gwent have access to impartial and tailored support in order to maximise their learning experience and achievement. So, I would, wouldn't I, given what's been said here, call on the Government to use the success of Coleg Gwent as an example to further educational institutions so that young carers are not only given an opportunity to improve their lives and achieve success - . We could go on, actually, talking about the negatives, but when you find good practice in an area, my request is that we look into that further, and you as a Government, so as to roll that out across Wales so that not one carer is found wanting of that additional support. The second critical point is that local authorities across Wales must learn to recognise that the introduction of these cards must be compulsory and that all relevant parties, such as health and educational professions, properly understand the ID cards and their implications. This should be achieved by the launching of an effective campaign before the ID cards are to be introduced. Teachers and healthcare workers - to name others as well - should be aware and understand the card. Now, without these cards being mandatory and some statutory duty placed on them, we do have evidence to suggest that these cards will not be fully rolled out across all local authorities. Why should we see one authority be very good, and then another authority not bothering to do this? So, really, for uniformity and consistency, it is imperative that there is a statutory duty applied to this. Without these cards being mandatory, there is a risk of regional variation causing unfairness, and the benefits of these cards being missed out if local authorities simply choose not to endorse them. Indeed, it is also essential that local authorities uphold their responsibilities under the extended Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014. We're now in 2019, so why not work with that legislation and make it meaningful? They need to improve their communication with the public about what this Act entails and how it might benefit our young carers. Local authorities across Wales need to ensure that carers are able to access a timely carer's assessment so that they can support them with the challenges they face by providing them with information and advice and signpost them in the direction of the areas they need to go. Given that over 50 per cent of young adult carers suffer with mental health problems - that's a huge statistic - it is essential that well-being support is included. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, the key area for improvement concerns education, employment and training, as this is where young carers are demonstrating significant underperformance compared to non-carers. We talk, don't we, a lot in Government and local authorities, and a lot of areas where public services are delivered, about equality across the piste. This is a classic example. You cannot have a situation where 50 per cent of young carers have got mental health needs and that those are simply going unaddressed. This is an area that can improve their sense of fulfilment and self-esteem by achieving success and having the opportunity to progress in their chosen area of work. By adopting these frameworks in educational settings, it is hoped that the number of premature departures from university by these group should actually decrease. Integral to these programmes should be the introduction of a concessionary fares scheme, to again overcome the financial barriers that young carers may face in actually getting out there to attend further education. According to the Learning and Work Institute, 24 per cent of young adult carers believe that financial constraints is what is actually preventing them from attending further education. Currently, the concessionary fares scheme only provides free public transport to those aged 60 and above, service veterans and disabled people, yet this does not take into consideration how vital young carers are in our society, and how their contribution in conjunction with other carers saves our economy here in Wales £8.1 billion a year. So, today, Deputy Minister and deputy Llywydd, I call on the Welsh Government to support the recommendations proposed today to continue prioritising the needs of our young adult carers, to ensure they do receive the care and support that they need to continue their honourable role and have the best chance to cultivate a successful and fulfilling life. I for one am, and I know that Members on these benches are, looking forward to the forthcoming Carers Week. We have many third-party agencies working really hard to highlight the issues I have done so here today. It is now for Welsh Government to actually accept their own responsibilities as regards this. Please support our motions here today. Thank you.
Welsh: Fel y nododd ymchwil gan yr Adran Addysg, y gofalwyr mwyaf agored i niwed yw'r rhai nad ydynt yn cael cymorth ac sydd â chyfrifoldebau sy'n anghymesur â'u hoed a'u haeddfedrwydd eu hunain. Fel yr argymhellodd Estyn, y dasg gyntaf i sefydliadau addysg yw nodi pa fyfyrwyr sydd â chyfrifoldebau gofalu a mynd ymhellach drwy lunio cofnod o gyfanswm y gofalwyr ifanc sy'n cyflawni gwahanol raglenni a chymwysterau addysgol gan jyglo'r cyfrifoldebau gofalu hyn yn y cartref. I ailadrodd, yr hyn sy'n nodweddu gofalwr ifanc yw bod eu cyfrifoldebau'n parhau dros amser a bod eu mewnbwn yn hanfodol i gynnal iechyd neu les aelod o'r teulu, neu ffrind yn wir. Nawr, er mwyn cefnogi myfyrwyr yn y ffordd fwyaf priodol, mae angen nodi pwy yw'r gofalwyr hyn cyn gynted ag y bo modd. Am y rheswm hwn, fel Ceidwadwyr, rydym yn argymell bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyflwyno cardiau adnabod i ofalwyr. Bydd hyn o fudd iddynt drwy eu hatal rhag ailadrodd eu hamgylchiadau, sy'n golygu eu bod wedi'u gwahanu oddi wrth fywyd arferol yn yr ysgol neu mewn mathau eraill o addysg, a'u helpu i gyfathrebu'n well â gweithwyr addysgol ac eraill ym maes iechyd y gwelant nad oes ganddynt ddewis heblaw rhyngweithio â hwy. Cafodd llwyddiant y canllawiau hyn ei gyfleu gan Goleg Gwent, sydd wedi datblygu strategaeth i roi cymorth penodol i ofalwyr ifanc o'r adeg cyn eu derbyn i'r adeg ar ôl iddynt orffen astudio. Hynny yw, mae darpar fyfyrwyr a myfyrwyr presennol sydd â chyfrifoldebau gofalu yng Ngholeg Gwent yn gallu manteisio ar gymorth diduedd wedi'i deilwra ar eu cyfer er mwyn cynyddu eu profiad dysgu a'u cyflawniad i'r eithaf. Felly, o gofio'r hyn a ddywedwyd yma, hoffwn alw ar y Llywodraeth i ddefnyddio llwyddiant Coleg Gwent fel esiampl i sefydliadau addysg bellach er mwyn i ofalwyr ifanc gael cyfle nid yn unig i wella eu bywydau a llwyddo - . Gallem fynd ymlaen, mewn gwirionedd, i sôn am yr agweddau negyddol, ond pan welwch arfer da mewn maes, hoffwn ofyn am inni edrych ar hynny ymhellach, a chithau fel Llywodraeth, er mwyn cyflwyno hynny ledled Cymru fel na fydd yr un gofalwr yn methu cael cymorth ychwanegol o'r fath. Yr ail bwynt allweddol yw bod yn rhaid i awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru ddysgu cydnabod bod yn rhaid cyflwyno'r cardiau hyn yn orfodol a bod yr holl bartïon perthnasol, megis y proffesiynau iechyd ac addysg, yn deall y cardiau adnabod yn iawn, yn ogystal â'u goblygiadau. Dylid cyflawni hyn drwy lansio ymgyrch effeithiol cyn i'r cardiau adnabod gael eu cyflwyno. Dylai athrawon a gweithwyr gofal iechyd - ymysg eraill - fod yn ymwybodol o'r cerdyn a'i ddeall. Nawr, oni bai eu bod yn orfodol a rhywfaint o ddyletswydd statudol yn eu cylch, mae gennym dystiolaeth sy'n awgrymu na fydd y cardiau'n cael eu cyflwyno'n llawn ar draws yr holl awdurdodau lleol. Pam y dylem weld un awdurdod yn bod yn dda iawn, ac awdurdod arall nad yw'n trafferthu ei wneud? Felly, mewn gwirionedd, o ran unffurfiaeth a chysondeb, mae'n hanfodol fod yna ddyletswydd statudol ynghlwm wrth hyn. Oni bai fod y cardiau hyn yn orfodol, mae perygl y bydd amrywiadau rhanbarthol yn peri annhegwch, ac y collir manteision y cardiau os bydd awdurdodau lleol yn dewis peidio â'u cymeradwyo. Yn wir, mae'n hanfodol hefyd fod awdurdodau lleol yn cyflawni eu cyfrifoldebau o dan Ddeddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014 sydd wedi'i hymestyn. Rydym bellach yn 2019, felly beth am weithio gyda'r ddeddfwriaeth honno a'i gwneud yn ystyrlon? Mae angen iddynt gyfathrebu'n well â'r cyhoedd ynglŷn â'r hyn y mae'r Ddeddf hon yn ei olygu a sut y gallai fod o fudd i'n gofalwyr ifanc. Mae angen i awdurdodau lleol ar draws Cymru sicrhau bod gofalwyr yn gallu cael asesiad gofalwr amserol er mwyn iddynt allu eu cynorthwyo gyda'r heriau a wynebant drwy roi gwybodaeth a chyngor iddynt a'u cyfeirio i'r mannau y mae angen iddynt fynd. O gofio bod dros 50 y cant o oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr yn dioddef problemau iechyd meddwl - mae hwnnw'n ffigur enfawr - mae'n hanfodol cynnwys cymorth lles. At hynny, fel y crybwyllwyd yn flaenorol, y prif faes ar gyfer gwella yw addysg, cyflogaeth a hyfforddiant, gan mai dyma lle mae gofalwyr ifanc yn dangos tangyflawniad sylweddol o gymharu â phobl ifanc nad ydynt yn ofalwyr. Yn y Llywodraeth ac mewn awdurdodau lleol, a llawer o fannau lle caiff gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eu darparu, rydym yn siarad llawer, onid ydym, am gydraddoldeb yn gyffredinol. Dyma enghraifft glasurol. Ni allwch gael sefyllfa lle mae gan 50 y cant o ofalwyr ifanc anghenion iechyd meddwl, ac nad yw'r rheini'n mynd i gael sylw. Dyma faes sy'n gallu gwella eu hymdeimlad o gyflawniad a hunan-barch drwy sicrhau llwyddiant a chyfle i wneud cynnydd yn eu dewis faes gwaith. Drwy fabwysiadu'r fframweithiau hyn mewn lleoliadau addysgol, gobeithir y bydd nifer y rhai yn y grŵp hwn sy'n gadael y brifysgol cyn pryd yn gostwng. Dylai cyflwyno cynllun teithio rhatach fod yn rhan annatod o'r rhaglenni hyn, eto er mwyn goresgyn y rhwystrau ariannol y gallai gofalwyr ifanc eu hwynebu wrth fynychu lleoliad addysg bellach. Yn ôl y Sefydliad Dysgu a Gwaith, mae 24 y cant o oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr yn credu mai cyfyngiadau ariannol yw'r hyn sy'n eu hatal rhag mynychu lleoliadau addysg bellach mewn gwirionedd. Ar hyn o bryd, nid yw'r cynllun tocynnau consesiwn ond yn darparu trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus am ddim i bobl 60 oed a hŷn, cyn-filwyr a phobl anabl, ac unwaith eto, nid yw hyn yn ystyried pa mor hanfodol yw gofalwyr ifanc yn ein cymdeithas, a sut y mae eu cyfraniad ar y cyd â gofalwyr eraill yn arbed £8.1 biliwn y flwyddyn i'n heconomi yma yng Nghymru. Felly, heddiw, Ddirprwy Weinidog a Dirprwy Lywydd, galwaf ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gefnogi'r argymhellion a gynigir heddiw er mwyn parhau i flaenoriaethu anghenion ein hoedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr, sicrhau eu bod yn cael y gofal a'r cymorth sydd eu hangen arnynt i barhau â'u rôl anrhydeddus a chael y cyfle gorau i greu bywyd llwyddiannus a boddhaus. Yn bersonol, rwy'n edrych ymlaen at Wythnos y Gofalwyr sydd ar y ffordd, a gwn fod yr Aelodau ar y meinciau hyn yn edrych ymlaen ati hefyd. Mae gennym lawer o asiantaethau trydydd parti yn gweithio'n galed iawn i dynnu sylw at y materion a nodais yma heddiw. Mater i Lywodraeth Cymru yn awr yw ysgwyddo eu cyfrifoldebau ei hun mewn perthynas â hyn. Cefnogwch ein cynigion yma heddiw. Diolch.