English: I'd like to focus my contribution to this debate on the role of young carers and the part that they play in keeping our health and social care system afloat and the support, or - very often, or too often, I would say - lack of support in terms of what's there to help them. There are estimated to be over 11,000 carers who are children or young adults in Wales, although it's likely to be an underestimate, clearly, as many of them wouldn't be known to us. Many, of course, wouldn't identify themselves as having caring responsibilities. Having those kinds of responsibilities puts a child at a disadvantage in terms of their educational opportunities. Young carers often miss out on opportunities that other children have to learn and to play. Young carers, I'm told, are losing an average of 48 school days, either missed or cut short because of their caring role each year. The figures also suggest that around 68 per cent of young carers are bullied at school, and only half of young carers have a particular person in school who recognises that they are a carer and helps them. So, it's perhaps not surprising that one in five carers will become NEETs when they leave school - one in five. Quite why caring isn't considered employment, albeit unpaid employment - perhaps that's maybe part of the problem here. So, it's a huge sacrifice. It's a huge sacrifice that these children are making. Remember that, if they didn't care, it's the NHS and social care that would be picking up the pieces and picking up the tab. But the support we're offering these children, I have to say, is nothing short of a disgrace. I've already highlighted that half of carers are not having a particular person at school who can help and support a carer. Clearly, there needs to be far greater support and working between local authorities and schools to put that support in place. But we're starting from a low base here, of course. The information provided to young people just isn't good enough. According to Carers Wales, the website of one local authority appears to exclude the carers of anyone under the age of 18 from accessing a carers needs assessment. At the very least that needs to be updated. It isn't just young people, of course, with caring responsibilities who are picking up the tab for our generation's failure to protect them. There are also parents with caring responsibilities for children who had their support cut by social security changes. We're all familiar with the bedroom tax, of course, and recently the particular case in west Wales is an example of this. But there are also 4,000 families with disabled children who have been affected by the decision to cut the Family Fund which, of course, has been described as providing a lifeline. There are also parents who have children on the autistic spectrum who have persistently highlighted the lack of support and the fight that is required to get the support that they need. So, there's clearly a great deal of improvement that's needed in our social care and our education system if we're to really support those who are giving so much in exchange for so little. Carers Trust Wales, which called for the introduction of a young carers in school programme in Wales - one that can be a full integral part of the new curriculum. There are changes afoot in the curriculum, and clearly an opportunity there to address some of these areas. The programme would provide a step-by-step guide to identifying, engaging and supporting young carers. It would equip schools with effective practice and accredit the work schools do to support young carers. The programme would be based on the Young Carers in Schools programme in England, developed and run jointly by the Carers Trust and the Children's Society there. The programme has been in place in England for well over a year now, and initial evaluations have shown the programme to be highly effective. For example, of the schools that participated, 94 per cent said they had identified more young carers in their school, 91 per cent had seen a positive impact on the achievement of young carers in their school, and nearly three quarters had noticed improved attendance among those young carers as well. So, there's much that we can learn and look to replicate in Wales in that respect. The Scottish Government as well has funded a third sector short breaks fund since 2010, with a focus on respitality - a combination of respite and hospitality. This can bring, of course, a number of benefits - clearly benefits for those providing care and respite for them, but also providing breaks during the off-season is cheaper, so it provides greater value for money, but also the additional income is provided there as well for tourist businesses at a quieter time of year. Now, I know that the Labour manifesto committed to investigating a national respite scheme. It didn't appear in the programme for government, but I understand that plans are afoot, and it would be good to hear an update this afternoon. For every £1 invested in support for carers, it brings a return on investment of £4, and £8 billion pounds is saved in Wales every year by the care carers provide. So, the statistics make their own case for investing in carers, and young carers particularly. I look forward to hearing what more the Government intends to do when they respond to this debate.
Welsh: Hoffwn ganolbwyntio fy nghyfraniad yn y ddadl hon ar rôl gofalwyr ifanc a'r rhan y maent yn ei chwarae yn cadw ein system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i redeg a'r cymorth, neu ddiffyg cymorth - yn aml iawn, neu'n rhy aml, ddywedwn i - o ran yr hyn sydd yno i'w helpu. Amcangyfrifir bod dros 11,000 o ofalwyr sy'n blant neu'n oedolion ifanc yng Nghymru, er ei fod yn debygol o fod yn amcangyfrif rhy isel, yn amlwg, gan na fuasem yn gwybod am lawer ohonynt. Ni fuasai nifer ohonynt, wrth gwrs, yn nodi eu hunain fel rhai â chyfrifoldebau gofalu. Mae bod â'r mathau hynny o gyfrifoldebau yn rhoi plentyn o dan anfantais o ran eu cyfleoedd addysgol. Yn aml, ni fydd gofalwyr ifanc yn cael yr un cyfleoedd â phlant eraill i ddysgu a chwarae. Dywedir wrthyf fod gofalwyr ifanc yn colli 48 diwrnod o ysgol ar gyfartaledd, naill ai'n llawn neu'n rhannol oherwydd eu rôl ofalu bob blwyddyn. Mae'r ffigurau hefyd yn awgrymu bod oddeutu 68 y cant o ofalwyr ifanc yn cael eu bwlio yn yr ysgol, a dim ond hanner y gofalwyr ifanc sydd â pherson penodol yn yr ysgol sy'n gwybod eu bod yn ofalwyr ac yn eu helpu. Felly, nid yw'n syndod efallai y bydd un o bob pum gofalwr yn dod yn rhywun nad yw mewn addysg, cyflogaeth na hyfforddiant pan fyddant yn gadael yr ysgol - un o bob pump. Pam nad yw gofalu yn cael ei ystyried yn waith, er yn waith di-dâl - mae'n bosibl mai dyna ran o'r broblem yma. Felly, mae'n aberth enfawr. Mae'r plant hyn yn aberthu'n enfawr. Cofiwch, pe na baent yn gofalu, y GIG a gofal cymdeithasol a fuasai'n gwneud y gwaith yn eu lle ac yn talu'r pris. Ond mae'r gefnogaeth rydym yn ei chynnig i'r plant hyn, rhaid i mi ddweud, yn gwbl warthus. Rwyf eisoes wedi tynnu sylw at y ffaith nad oes gan hanner y gofalwyr berson penodol yn yr ysgol a all helpu a chefnogi gofalwr. Yn amlwg, mae angen cael llawer mwy o gymorth a gweithio rhwng awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion i roi'r gefnogaeth honno ar waith. Ond rydym yn dechrau o sylfaen isel yma, wrth gwrs. Nid yw'r wybodaeth a ddarperir i bobl ifanc yn ddigon da o gwbl. Yn ôl Cynhalwyr Cymru, mae gwefan un awdurdod lleol i'w gweld yn gwahardd gofalwyr unrhyw un o dan 18 oed rhag cael mynediad at asesiad o anghenion gofalwyr. Mae angen diweddaru'r wefan honno o leiaf. Wrth gwrs, nid pobl ifanc â chyfrifoldebau gofalu yn unig sy'n talu'r pris am fethiant ein cenhedlaeth i'w hamddiffyn. Mae yna hefyd rieni â chyfrifoldebau gofalu am blant a welodd eu cymorth yn cael ei dorri gan newidiadau i nawdd cymdeithasol. Mae pawb ohonom yn gyfarwydd â'r dreth ystafell wely, wrth gwrs, ac yn ddiweddar mae'r achos penodol yng ngorllewin Cymru yn enghraifft o hyn. Ond hefyd mae yna 4,000 o deuluoedd â phlant anabl yr effeithiwyd arnynt gan y penderfyniad i dorri Cronfa'r Teulu a ddisgrifiwyd, wrth gwrs, fel rhaff achub. Ceir rhieni hefyd sydd â phlant ar y sbectrwm awtistig sydd wedi tynnu sylw cyson at y diffyg cymorth a'r frwydr sy'n ofynnol i gael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt. Felly, yn amlwg, mae angen llawer iawn o welliant yn ein system gofal cymdeithasol a'n system addysg os ydym am fynd ati o ddifrif i gefnogi'r rhai sy'n rhoi cymaint yn gyfnewid am gyn lleied. Ymddiriedolaeth Gofalwyr Cymru, a alwodd am gyflwyno rhaglen gofalwyr ifanc yn ysgolion Cymru - un a all fod yn rhan lawn ac annatod o'r cwricwlwm newydd. Mae yna newidiadau ar y gweill yn y cwricwlwm, ac mae'n amlwg fod cyfle yno i fynd i'r afael â rhai o'r meysydd hyn. Buasai'r rhaglen yn darparu canllaw cam wrth gam i adnabod, cynnwys a chefnogi gofalwyr ifanc. Buasai'n cyfarparu ysgolion ag arferion effeithiol ac yn achredu'r gwaith y mae ysgolion yn ei wneud i gefnogi gofalwyr ifanc. Buasai'r rhaglen yn seiliedig ar y rhaglen ar gyfer gofalwyr ifanc mewn ysgolion yn Lloegr, a ddatblygwyd ac a gyflwynir ar y cyd gan Ymddiriedolaeth y Gofalwyr a Chymdeithas y Plant yno. Mae'r rhaglen wedi bod ar waith yn Lloegr ers ymhell dros flwyddyn bellach, ac mae gwerthusiadau cychwynnol wedi dangos bod y rhaglen yn hynod o effeithiol. Er enghraifft, o'r ysgolion a gymerodd ran, dywedodd 94 y cant eu bod wedi nodi mwy o ofalwyr ifanc yn eu hysgol, roedd 91 y cant wedi gweld effaith gadarnhaol ar gyflawniad gofalwyr ifanc yn eu hysgol, ac roedd bron i dri chwarter wedi sylwi ar lefelau presenoldeb gwell ymysg y gofalwyr ifanc hynny hefyd. Felly, mae llawer y gallwn ei ddysgu ac ystyried ei efelychu yng Nghymru yn hynny o beth. Mae Llywodraeth yr Alban hefyd wedi ariannu cronfa seibiant byr yn y trydydd sector ers 2010, gyda ffocws ar 'respitality' - cyfuniad o seibiant a lletygarwch. Gall hyn greu nifer o fanteision wrth gwrs - manteision amlwg i'r rhai sy'n darparu gofal a seibiant ar eu cyfer, ond hefyd mae darparu seibiant yn ystod y tymor tawel yn rhatach, felly mae'n darparu gwell gwerth am arian, ond hefyd mae'r incwm ychwanegol yn cael ei ddarparu yno hefyd ar gyfer busnesau twristiaeth ar adeg dawelach o'r flwyddyn. Nawr, rwy'n gwybod bod maniffesto Llafur wedi ymrwymo i ymchwilio i gynllun seibiant cenedlaethol. Nid oedd yn ymddangos yn y rhaglen lywodraethu, ond deallaf fod cynlluniau ar y gweill, a buasai'n dda clywed y newyddion diweddaraf am hyn y prynhawn yma. Am bob £1 a fuddsoddir mewn cymorth i ofalwyr, mae'n dod ag elw ar fuddsoddiad o £4, ac arbedir £8 biliwn o bunnoedd yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn gan y gofal y mae gofalwyr yn ei ddarparu. Felly, mae'r ystadegau'n gwneud eu hachos eu hunain dros fuddsoddi mewn gofalwyr, a gofalwyr ifanc yn arbennig. Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed beth arall y mae'r Llywodraeth yn bwriadu ei wneud pan fyddant yn ymateb i'r ddadl hon.