English: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for your statement Minister. And I too would like to pay tribute to the work and dedication of Carl Sargeant in this area. As others have highlighted, outcomes for looked-after children are well below those of children who are not in our care system. We have to provide additional support for these children, who have already had the worst possible start in life. However, according to Action on Children Cymru, there is a postcode lottery in the support available to children in care. This is unacceptable. I am pleased that the Welsh Government have acknowledged this, and have allocated additional funding to improve the life chances for these young people. I would also like to acknowledge the work undertaken by David Melding, who has a long and distinguished record for standing up for looked-after children. And I am pleased that David will continue to chair the ministerial advisory group. I have just a couple of questions for you, Minister. There have been a number of concerns raised about children's services in Bridgend, and we are told that the courts in Bridgend have lost trust in the local authority's ability to carry out its duties with regard to looked-after children. This has led to a number of children being placed out of county. Minister, what steps are you taking to end the postcode lottery, referred to by Action on Children? How will you ensure that children's services are able to fulfil their duties to both protect young people, ensure they achieve the best possible outcomes, and put an end to out-of-county placements where possible? Minister, I am pleased to see that there is additional funding to support care leavers on their journey towards independence. This is an area that we have, in the past, failed in. The recent Children in Need DIY SOS programme highlighted the absolutely fantastic work undertaken by the Roots Foundation in my region. As well as running an activities centre for young people in care, Roots provided support housing for young people in care and leaving care. They help provide the necessary skills to enable young care leavers to live independently. Minister, does your Government have any plans to replicate the work of the Roots Foundation to other parts of Wales? And finally, Minister, what is your Government doing to support charities like Roots, who play a vital role in supporting looked-after children, and help to improve outcomes for these vulnerable young people? Thank you again for your statement, and I hope that we can all work together, collaboratively, to improve outcomes for looked-after children. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Diolch i chi am eich datganiad, Weinidog. A hoffwn i hefyd dalu teyrnged i waith ac ymroddiad Carl Sargeant yn y maes hwn. Fel y mae eraill wedi amlygu, mae canlyniadau plant sy'n derbyn gofal yn llawer is nag ar gyfer plant nad ydynt yn ein system gofal. Mae'n rhaid i ni ddarparu cymorth ychwanegol ar gyfer y plant hyn, sydd eisoes wedi cael y dechrau gwaethaf posibl mewn bywyd. Fodd bynnag, yn ôl Gweithredu dros Blant Cymru, mae'r cymorth sydd ar gael i blant sy'n derbyn gofal yn loteri cod post. Mae hyn yn annerbyniol. Rwy'n falch bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydnabod hyn, ac wedi neilltuo cyllid ychwanegol i wella cyfleoedd bywyd y bobl ifanc hyn. Hoffwn hefyd gydnabod y gwaith a wnaed gan David Melding, sydd â hanes hir a rhagorol o gefnogi plant sy'n derbyn gofal. Ac rwy'n falch y bydd David yn parhau i gadeirio grŵp cynghori'r Gweinidog. Mae gennyf i un neu ddau o gwestiynau i chi, Weinidog. Mae nifer o bryderon wedi eu codi ynghylch gwasanaethau plant ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr, a dywedir wrthym ni bod y llysoedd ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr wedi colli ffydd yng ngallu'r awdurdod lleol i gyflawni ei ddyletswyddau o ran plant sy'n derbyn gofal. Mae hyn wedi arwain at nifer o blant yn cael eu lleoli y tu allan i'r sir. Gweinidog, pa gamau ydych chi'n eu cymryd i roi terfyn ar y loteri cod post, y cyfeiriodd Gweithredu dros Blant ato? Sut y byddwch chi'n sicrhau bod gwasanaethau plant yn gallu cyflawni eu dyletswyddau i ddiogelu pobl ifanc, sicrhau eu bod yn cyflawni'r canlyniadau gorau posibl, a rhoi diwedd ar leoliadau y tu allan i'r sir pan fo hynny'n bosibl? Gweinidog, rwy'n falch o weld bod arian ychwanegol wedi ei roi ar gael i gefnogi'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal ar eu taith tuag at annibyniaeth. Mae hwn yn faes yr ydym ni wedi methu ynddo yn y gorffennol. Roedd y rhaglen DIY SOS Plant Mewn Angen yn ddiweddar yn tynnu sylw at y gwaith hollol wych a wneir gan y Roots Foundation yn fy rhanbarth i. Yn ogystal â rhedeg canolfan weithgareddau i bobl ifanc sy'n derbyn gofal, mae Roots wedi darparu tai â chymorth i bobl ifanc sy'n derbyn gofal ac sy'n gadael gofal. Maen nhw'n helpu i ddarparu'r sgiliau angenrheidiol i alluogi pobl ifanc sy'n gadael gofal i fyw'n annibynnol. Gweinidog, a oes gan eich Llywodraeth chi unrhyw gynlluniau i ail-greu gwaith y Roots Foundation mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru? Ac yn olaf, Gweinidog, beth mae eich Llywodraeth chi'n ei wneud i gefnogi elusennau fel Roots, sy'n chwarae rhan hanfodol wrth gefnogi plant sy'n derbyn gofal, ac yn helpu i wella canlyniadau'r bobl ifanc hyn sy'n agored i niwed? Diolch i chi unwaith eto am eich datganiad, ac rwy'n gobeithio y gallwn ni i gyd weithio gyda'i gilydd, ar y cyd, i wella canlyniadau ar gyfer plant sy'n derbyn gofal. Diolch.