English: I'd like to thank Siân Gwenllian for those questions. I'm pleased that she recognised the huge contribution that the childcare sector makes and that she thanked the sector for providing the opportunity for care workers to be able to continue to work in this pandemic. The childcare sector played an absolutely vital part. At this time of the year, applications for the childcare offer are always lower than during the rest of the year, and in my statement I said that it was between 75 and 85 per cent of what we would normally expect at this time of the year. Bearing in mind that, for the reasons I used in my previous answers, many parents may be still reluctant for their children to go to childcare, many may still be working from home and trying to look after the children at the same time, and many may be on furlough still, I think there are reasons why that number is low and we anticipate that it will gradually rise as confidence grows in terms of returning children to the childcare sector. We did do this survey in August to see what help had been made available to the sector and, in fact, 90 per cent of the people who replied did say that they had some form of Government grant from some place or other. So, I think 90 per cent did get grants, but nevertheless I absolutely accept what Siân Gwenllian is saying because it was a fragile sector before all this happened and obviously we want to give as much support as we possibly can, which is why we produced the provider fund grant. It's only been open for a few weeks, but as you say, the applications are slow at the moment, so I have asked officials to liaise with the providers - with Cwlwm in particular - to see what help can be given and to encourage the groups to apply, because obviously, many of these groups are run by voluntary management committees who are doing it in their own time, and we want to give them as much help as possible, because we certainly don't want that £4.5 million to go to waste, because it was specifically aimed at trying to plug the gaps in the childcare sector. In terms of the review, we have been considering whether we can extend the offer to people in education and training, and people who are on the cusp of work. That review is taking place. It will report to me in the autumn, and I hope we'll be able to say something definitive to the Chamber towards the end of this term or at the beginning of next term. In terms of the impact on children, I think Siân Gwenllian is absolutely right: so many children have suffered so much during this period, particularly disadvantaged children. I'm glad we were able to provide some support for disadvantaged children and also through the summer holidays, when we were able to give some money to local authorities to try to provide some provision during the summer holidays. But because we know that it is so absolutely crucial for the early years, for children to have as much support and help as they possibly can, I absolutely agree with her that we have to do all we possibly can to help the children catch up and help support the schools and the childcare settings to do all they can for particularly the disadvantaged children.
Welsh: Hoffwn ddiolch i Siân Gwenllian am y cwestiynau yna. Rwy'n falch ei bod yn cydnabod y cyfraniad enfawr y mae'r sector gofal plant yn ei wneud a'i bod wedi diolch i'r sector am roi'r cyfle i weithwyr gofal allu parhau i weithio yn y pandemig hwn. Chwaraeodd y sector gofal plant ran gwbl hanfodol. Yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn, mae ceisiadau am y cynnig gofal plant bob amser yn is nag yn ystod gweddill y flwyddyn, ac yn fy natganiad dywedais ei fod rhwng 75 ac 85 y cant o'r hyn y byddem yn ei ddisgwyl fel arfer yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn. O gofio, am y rhesymau a ddefnyddiais yn fy atebion blaenorol, y gallai llawer o rieni fod yn amharod o hyd i'w plant fynd i ofal plant, efallai y bydd llawer yn dal i weithio gartref ac yn ceisio gofalu am y plant ar yr un pryd, ac efallai fod llawer ar ffyrlo o hyd, credaf fod rhesymau pam mae'r nifer hwnnw'n isel a rhagwelwn y bydd yn codi'n raddol wrth i ffydd gynyddu o ran anfon plant yn ôl i'r sector gofal plant. Gwnaethom yr arolwg hwn ym mis Awst i weld pa gymorth a oedd ar gael i'r sector ac, mewn gwirionedd, dywedodd 90 y cant o'r bobl a atebodd y cawson nhw ryw fath o grant gan y Llywodraeth o ryw le neu'i gilydd. Felly, credaf fod 90 y cant wedi cael grantiau, ond serch hynny derbyniaf yn llwyr yr hyn y mae Siân Gwenllian yn ei ddweud oherwydd ei fod yn sector bregus cyn i hyn i gyd ddigwydd ac mae'n amlwg ein bod ni eisiau rhoi cymaint o gymorth ag y gallwn ni, a dyna pam y gwnaethom ni greu grant y gronfa ddarparwyr. Dim ond ers ychydig wythnosau y bu ar gael, ond fel y dywedwch chi, mae'r ceisiadau'n araf ar hyn o bryd, felly rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion gysylltu â'r darparwyr - gyda Cwlwm yn benodol - i weld pa gymorth y gellir ei roi ac i annog y grwpiau i wneud cais, oherwydd mae'n amlwg bod llawer o'r grwpiau hyn yn cael eu rhedeg gan bwyllgorau rheoli gwirfoddol sy'n gwneud hynny yn eu hamser eu hunain, ac rydym ni eisiau rhoi cymaint o gymorth â phosib iddyn nhw, oherwydd yn sicr nid ydym ni eisiau i'r £4.5 miliwn hwnnw fynd i wastraff, oherwydd ei amcan yn benodol oedd ceisio llenwi'r bylchau yn y sector gofal plant. O ran yr adolygiad, rydym ni wedi bod yn ystyried a allwn ni ymestyn y cynnig i bobl mewn addysg a hyfforddiant, a phobl sydd ar fin gweithio. Mae'r adolygiad hwnnw ar y gweill. Byddaf yn cael yr adroddiad yn yr hydref, ac rwy'n gobeithio y byddwn yn gallu dweud rhywbeth pendant wrth y Siambr tua diwedd y tymor hwn neu ddechrau'r tymor nesaf. O ran yr effaith ar blant, credaf fod Siân Gwenllian yn llygad ei lle: mae cynifer o blant wedi dioddef cymaint yn ystod y cyfnod hwn, yn enwedig plant difreintiedig. Rwy'n falch ein bod wedi gallu darparu rhywfaint o gymorth i blant difreintiedig a hefyd drwy wyliau'r haf, pan oeddem yn gallu rhoi rhywfaint o arian i awdurdodau lleol i geisio darparu rhywfaint o ddarpariaeth yn ystod gwyliau'r haf. Ond oherwydd y gwyddom ni fod hyn mor gwbl hanfodol i'r blynyddoedd cynnar, i blant gael cymaint o gymorth a chefnogaeth ag y gallan nhw, rwy'n cytuno'n llwyr â hi bod yn rhaid i ni wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i helpu'r plant i ddal i fyny a helpu i gefnogi'r ysgolion a'r lleoliadau gofal plant i wneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i'r plant difreintiedig yn arbennig.