English: Now, the points that you've just made on the importance of supporting dads in their role were very well made. The organisation Dads Can will be pleased that they've got a champion here in this Welsh Parliament to highlight their achievements, celebrate their work in this Parliament of Wales and to advocate as well, as you've just done, for their future ambitions as well. It's lovely to have them in the gallery here this evening. Now, we know that parents come from many different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs - families come in many and different and varied forms. But research tells us one very important thing they all have in common is that they are the greatest influence on their children's lives. The evidence, indeed, also shows that dads who are interested and supportive of their children can make a truly positive difference to their outcomes. These children are more likely to have better language development, higher educational attainment, fewer behavioural problems and be more all-round resilient. Advances in neuroscience have shown the significance of positive stimulation and nurturing from mums and dads during the first 1,000 days of brain development. And in their school years, a dad's involvement has a big impact on a child's achievements and ambitions. Supportive dads and mums also have a key role as a buffer against adversity. Without protective factors and the support from a strong and nurturing parent, those stressful, traumatic experiences that do occur during childhood - adverse childhood experiences, which Nick has referred to in the work of Dads Can - may cause problems both immediately early on and later throughout life. And the couple relationship, whether, quite frankly, parents are together or apart, is also an important factor. When conflict between parents is not resolved, it can put a child's mental health and long-term life chances at risk, but we also know that where it's handled well, the adverse impacts are minimised. That's why supporting families and parenting are at the heart of our agenda as a Government. And as Members here will be aware, one of the five key priority areas in the strategy 'Prosperity for All' is early years. And key to this is the role of all parents - mums and dads. We want children from all backgrounds to have the very best start in life, to reach their potential and to lead healthy, prosperous, fulfilling lives. So, this financial year, I've committed £325,000 to support our parenting 'Give it Time' campaign, and the campaign provides good-quality information to help parents develop positive parenting skills, through the website, Facebook, the digital advertising and a range of materials. And we're not telling parents, by the way, how to raise their children; what we're doing is promoting positive parenting strategies and providing tips even on handling specific issues like toddler tantrums - we've all had them; as a parent myself - potty training, and so on and so on. And parenting support, we know, the evidence shows that it can give both mums and dads a greater understanding of child development and provide ideas of how to praise and reward their child, how to set limits, how to handle misbehaviour, and without resorting, I have to say, to physical punishment. Supporting individuals to adopt positive parenting styles is an integral part of both our Flying Start and the Families First programmes. But, sometimes, parents are unable to live together, and we know that parental separation affects many children and their families across Wales. Private law cases involving separating parents often involve disputes over child-related arrangements - for example, where the child should live and who he or she should see. It is important that families are provided with support when parental separation occurs in order to help them remain focused on the needs of their child rather than the dispute between themselves. And the child always has to be at the centre of our concerns. We fully support the principle that a child is entitled to a meaningful relationship with both parents following family separation where it's safe and in the child's best interests. And supporting the couple relationship, whether they're together or apart, is very important. It's why it's a growing feature of our family support programmes. Last year, we provided funding to train the family support workforce so they're better able to embed parental conflict support in the wider services for families. Now, while local authorities have responsibility for deciding the precise nature of local service delivery, we do expect them to be steered by our parenting support guidance, which places an emphasis on services that work holistically for the whole family. The focus of our guidance is not only on what parenting support to provide, but also on how it should be provided. It includes practical strategies for accommodating the particular needs of fathers. And, as Nick has outlined, they can, for a variety of reasons, be less engaged than mothers in family support, sometimes for the reasons I've outlined already. So, the guidance, therefore, gives practitioners lots of ideas for engaging fathers, which are based on published research from fathers themselves as well and from practitioners experienced in working in the field with dads. We expect local authorities to actively promote family support services to dads and support their engagement. And there are some really good examples of where they're providing dedicated groups specifically tailored to the needs of dads. So, in Swansea, for example, they have a supportive dads programme, and they have a dads community group, very much in the style, actually, of the Dads Can project that we're discussing here tonight. And recently, I congratulated Swansea on receiving a Royal College of Midwives award for their excellent Jigsaw project. It's a joint Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board and Swansea local authority project, jointly funded through Families First and Flying Start, and it provides women and their partners, during pregnancy and until their child's third birthday, with support. It's been hugely successful in increasing, for example, rates of breastfeeding, reducing rates of smoking, and it has also reported a number of families no longer needing support from statutory services. So, it's win-wins all around. But local authorities, Nick, have responsibility for deciding the precise nature of local service delivery, depending on local circumstances and identified needs within their own areas. So, with that in mind, and hearing the strong representations that he has made this evening, and the celebration of the work of Dads Can, I urge the Member for Monmouthshire to liaise with the local authority to understand whether Dads Can, or similar projects, could help meet the needs that they have identified in their area.
Welsh: Nawr, mae'r pwyntiau a wnaethoch yn awr am bwysigrwydd cefnogi tadau yn eu rôl yn rhai da iawn. Bydd y sefydliad Dads Can yn falch fod ganddynt hyrwyddwr yma yn Senedd Cymru i dynnu sylw at eu cyflawniadau, i ddathlu eu gwaith yn Senedd Cymru ac i ddadlau hefyd, fel rydych newydd ei wneud, dros eu huchelgeisiau ar gyfer y dyfodol yn ogystal. Mae'n hyfryd eu cael yn yr oriel yma heno. Nawr, gwyddom fod rhieni'n dod o lawer o wahanol gefndiroedd, diwylliannau, credoau - daw teuluoedd ar ffurfiau niferus a gwahanol ac amrywiol. Ond mae'r ymchwil yn dweud wrthym am un peth pwysig iawn sydd ganddynt yn gyffredin sef mai hwy yw'r dylanwad mwyaf ar fywydau eu plant. Dengys y dystiolaeth hefyd yn wir y gall tadau sydd â diddordeb ac sy'n gefnogol i'w plant wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol i'w canlyniadau. Mae'r plant hyn yn fwy tebygol o weld datblygiad iaith gwell, cyrhaeddiad addysgol uwch, llai o broblemau ymddygiadol ac yn gyffredinol maent yn fwy gwydn. Mae datblygiadau mewn niwrowyddoniaeth wedi dangos arwyddocâd ysgogiad cadarnhaol a meithringar gan famau a thadau yn ystod y 1,000 o ddiwrnodau cyntaf o ddatblygiad yr ymennydd. Ac yn ystod eu blynyddoedd ysgol, mae cyfranogiad tad yn effeithio'n fawr ar gyflawniadau a dyheadau plentyn. Mae gan dadau a mamau cefnogol rôl allweddol fel clustog rhag adfyd. Heb ffactorau amddiffynnol a chymorth gan riant cryf a meithringar, gallai profiadau trawmatig llawn straen sy'n digwydd yn ystod plentyndod - y profiadau niweidiol yn ystod plentyndod y cyfeiriodd Nick atynt yng ngwaith Dads Can - achosi problemau ar unwaith yn gynnar mewn bywyd ac yn ddiweddarach gydol oes. Ac mae perthynas cyplau, pa un a yw rhieni gyda'i gilydd neu ar wahân a dweud y gwir, hefyd yn ffactor pwysig. Pan na chaiff gwrthdaro rhwng rhieni ei ddatrys, gall greu risg i iechyd meddwl a chyfleoedd bywyd hirdymor y plentyn, ond rydym hefyd yn gwybod pan gaiff ei drin yn dda, caiff yr effeithiau niweidiol eu lleihau. Dyna pam y mae cefnogi teuluoedd a rhianta yn ganolog i'n hagenda fel Llywodraeth. Ac fel y bydd yr Aelodau yma yn gwybod, un o'r pum maes blaenoriaeth allweddol yn y strategaeth 'Ffyniant i Bawb' yw'r blynyddoedd cynnar. Ac yn allwedd i hyn mae rôl pob rhiant - mamau a thadau. Rydym am i blant o bob cefndir gael y dechrau gorau posibl mewn bywyd, i gyrraedd eu potensial a byw bywyd iach, ffyniannus, boddhaus. Felly, y flwyddyn ariannol hon, rwyf wedi ymrwymo £325,000 tuag at gefnogi ein hymgyrch 'Magu Plant. Rhowch amser iddo', ac mae'r ymgyrch yn darparu gwybodaeth o ansawdd da i helpu rhieni i ddatblygu sgiliau rhianta cadarnhaol, drwy'r wefan, Facebook, hysbysebu digidol ac amrywiaeth o ddeunyddiau. Ac nid ydym yn dweud wrth rieni, gyda llaw, sut i fagu eu plant; yr hyn a wnawn yw hyrwyddo strategaethau rhianta cadarnhaol a darparu awgrymiadau hyd yn oed ar gyfer ymdrin â materion penodol fel strancio plant bach - mae pawb ohonom wedi eu cael; fel rhiant fy hun - hyfforddiant toiled, ac ati ac ati. A gwyddom fod y dystiolaeth yn dangos y gall cymorth rhianta roi dealltwriaeth well i famau a thadau ynglŷn â datblygiad y plentyn a rhoi syniadau ar sut i ganmol a gwobrwyo eu plentyn, sut i osod ffiniau, sut i ymdrin â chamymddwyn, a heb orfod troi, rhaid i mi ddweud, at gosbi corfforol. Mae cynorthwyo unigolion i fabwysiadu dulliau rhianta cadarnhaol yn rhan annatod o'n rhaglenni Dechrau'n Deg a Teuluoedd yn Gyntaf. Ond weithiau, mae rhieni'n methu byw gyda'i gilydd, ac rydym yn gwybod bod rhieni'n gwahanu yn effeithio ar lawer o blant a'u teuluoedd ledled Cymru. Mae achosion cyfraith breifat sy'n ymwneud â rhieni'n gwahanu yn aml yn cynnwys anghydfod ynglŷn â threfniadau sy'n gysylltiedig â'r plentyn - er enghraifft, ble y dylai plentyn fyw a phwy y dylai ef neu hi ei weld. Mae'n bwysig fod teuluoedd yn cael cymorth pan fydd rhieni'n gwahanu er mwyn eu helpu i barhau i ganolbwyntio ar anghenion eu plentyn yn hytrach na'r anghydfod rhyngddynt hwy. Ac mae'n rhaid rhoi'r sylw canolog i'r plentyn ym mhopeth bob amser. Rydym yn cefnogi'n llwyr yr egwyddor fod gan blentyn hawl i gael perthynas ystyrlon gyda'r ddau riant ar ôl i deulu wahanu lle mae'n ddiogel ac er budd y plentyn. Ac mae cefnogi perthynas y cwpl, pa un a ydynt gyda'i gilydd neu ar wahân, yn bwysig iawn. Dyna pam y mae'n nodwedd gynyddol o'n rhaglenni cymorth i deuluoedd. Y llynedd, darparwyd cyllid gennym i hyfforddi'r gweithlu cymorth i deuluoedd fel eu bod yn gallu ymgorffori cymorth pan fo gwrthdaro rhwng rhieni yn y gwasanaethau ehangach ar gyfer teuluoedd. Nawr, er bod gan awdurdodau lleol gyfrifoldeb am benderfynu ar union natur y ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau lleol, rydym yn disgwyl iddynt gael eu llywio gan ein canllawiau ar gymorth rhianta sy'n rhoi pwyslais ar wasanaethau sy'n gweithio mewn ffordd gyfannol ar gyfer y teulu cyfan. Mae ffocws ein canllawiau ar ba gymorth rhianta i'w ddarparu, a hefyd ar sut y dylid ei ddarparu. Mae'n cynnwys strategaethau ymarferol i ddarparu ar gyfer anghenion arbennig tadau. Ac fel yr amlinellodd Nick, am amryw o resymau, mae'n bosibl eu bod yn cymryd llai o ran na mamau mewn cymorth i deuluoedd, weithiau am y rhesymau a amlinellais eisoes. Felly, mae'r canllawiau'n rhoi llawer o syniadau i ymarferwyr ynglŷn â denu tadau i gymryd rhan, syniadau sy'n seiliedig ar ymchwil a gyhoeddwyd gan dadau eu hunain yn ogystal â chan ymarferwyr profiadol sy'n gweithio yn y maes gyda thadau. Rydym yn disgwyl i awdurdodau lleol hyrwyddo gwasanaethau cymorth i deuluoedd yn weithredol i dadau a chefnogi eu hymgysylltiad. A cheir rhai enghreifftiau da iawn o ble maent yn darparu grwpiau ymroddedig wedi'u teilwra'n benodol i anghenion tadau. Felly, yn Abertawe, er enghraifft, mae ganddynt raglen tadau cefnogol ac mae ganddynt grŵp cymunedol i dadau, yn debyg iawn i'r prosiect Dads Can rydym yn ei drafod yma heno mewn gwirionedd. Ac yn ddiweddar, llongyfarchais Abertawe ar ennill gwobr Coleg Brenhinol y Bydwragedd am eu prosiect Jigsaw rhagorol. Mae'n brosiect ar y cyd rhwng Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol Prifysgol Abertawe Bro Morgannwg a phrosiect gan awdurdod lleol Abertawe, a ariennir ar y cyd drwy Teuluoedd yn Gyntaf a Dechrau'n Deg, ac mae'n darparu cymorth ar gyfer menywod a'u partneriaid, yn ystod beichiogrwydd a hyd nes y bydd eu plentyn yn cael ei ben blwydd yn dair oed. Mae wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn yn cynyddu, er enghraifft, cyfraddau bwydo ar y fron, yn lleihau cyfraddau ysmygu, ac mae hefyd wedi nodi nad yw nifer o deuluoedd angen cymorth gan wasanaethau statudol mwyach. Felly, mae'n sefyllfa lle mae pawb ar ei ennill. Ond mae gan awdurdodau lleol gyfrifoldeb, Nick, am benderfynu ar union natur y ddarpariaeth gan wasanaethau lleol, yn dibynnu ar amgylchiadau lleol ac anghenion a nodwyd o fewn eu hardaloedd eu hunain. Felly, gyda hynny mewn cof, a chan glywed y sylwadau cryf a wnaeth heno, a dathlu gwaith Dads Can, rwy'n annog yr Aelod dros Sir Fynwy i gysylltu gyda'r awdurdod lleol i ddeall a allai Dads Can neu brosiectau tebyg helpu i ddiwallu'r anghenion a nodwyd ganddynt yn eu hardal.