English: The ministerial advisory group has representation from all senior leaders and organisations with an involvement in children's services. The group has been instrumental in advising me on, and co-producing, the improving outcomes for children work programme, and I'm pleased our partners are actively involved in this work. In fact, I attended the last ministerial advisory group meeting, and I could see again that this collaborative way of working continues to be a real strength of the group. So, what have we achieved? Well, you will remember last year we invested £9 million to support care-experienced children. I'd like to tell you some of the headline outcomes on how that money was used by local authorities. Over 1,900 care-experienced children across Wales have received funds via our £1 million St David's Day fund, to support their transition to adulthood and to independence. Our £5 million investment in local authority edge-of-care services meant that local authorities helped over 3,600 children to remain within the family unit, by working with more than 2,000 families. We now have edge-of-care services in all local authorities in Wales. Welsh Government funding has led to the establishment of regional Reflect services. During the past year, these services have supported 150 young parents whose children have been placed in the care system with a wide range of emotional and practical issues. This is a popular service, and we expect to see the number of referrals rise significantly in the coming years. We also provided £1 million to extend the provision of personal advisers, so that all care leavers up to the age of 25 are offered a personal adviser, regardless of circumstances. As a result, an additional 20 personal advisers have been recruited, and the extended offer has been taken up by more than 500 care leavers. And finally, care leavers have been helped to access opportunities in education, employment and training, with 70 young people now participating in a local authority work placement or a traineeship scheme. These are real, tangible outcomes that are having a direct and positive impact on the lives of children and young people. We have progressed other areas of work. For example, in May this year, we published research on placement outcomes for children after a final care order. This important research showed that over three quarters of the children in the study experienced a high level of placement stability as well as identifying other positive experiences of care. We have also developed national standards for independent reviewing officers and for independent visitors to ensure there is quality and consistency of service. And we funded the first year of the implementation of the national fostering framework. I am very pleased that my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Finance last week published a consultation on exempting all care leavers from paying council tax so that we have a consistent approach right across Wales. This is all good progress, but there is still more to do. Before the summer, I asked for the work programme to be accelerated and intensified, to expedite delivery against the key challenges, including those that were identified in 'Care Crisis Review'. As a result, the improving outcomes for children work programme has been refreshed. This third phase of the programme continues much of the important work that's already in train, but it places more emphasis on reducing the need for care by providing effective, preventative, early support to families, as well as ensuring therapeutic support to children and families is intrinsic throughout the programme. To inform this phase, my officials have carried out an appreciative inquiry across six local authorities. The inquiry highlighted good preventative social work and family support being delivered by local authorities. All of the local authorities demonstrated integrated care systems where multi-agency teams provided timely support to families so crises could be de-escalated or avoided, thereby helping families to stay safely together. To illustrate this, one example has been the use of family group meetings. This is a family-centered approach that enables children, young people, as well as wider family members, to participate and own solutions that will improve their circumstances. This is very much in keeping with our co-production approach, which is central to our Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Investment in such preventative and early intervention approaches really does realise savings in the long term. As part of the draft budget proposals announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance for 2019-20, an additional £30 million has been allocated to regional partnership boards to help strengthen these integration arrangements. Today, I'm pleased to announce that £15 million of this funding will be allocated to progress our shared ambition of reducing the need for children to be in care. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to a whole-system change. I would like local authorities, third sector organisations and health boards to work together to use this fund flexibly and creatively across their regions. My expectation is that this money focuses on early intervention and preventative services for families in need of help and assistance, building on the approaches we already know help families avoid crisis situations. For those children and young people in care, I want to ensure we have in place the therapeutic services needed to help them successfully reunite with their families, where appropriate. Before I finish, I want to remind everyone that it is National Safeguarding Week. I'm really pleased that the Welsh Government is working with Stop It Now! Wales to launch a new campaign, which will help encourage the people of Wales to play their part in stopping child sexual abuse.
Welsh: Mae gan y grŵp cynghori gweinidogol gynrychiolaeth gan bob uwch arweinydd a sefydliad sy'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau i blant. Mae'r grŵp wedi bod yn allweddol o ran fy nghynghori ar, a chyd-gynhyrchu, y rhaglen waith gwella canlyniadau i blant, ac rwy'n falch bod ein partneriaid yn cymryd rhan weithredol yn y gwaith hwn. Yn wir, roeddwn yng nghyfarfod diwethaf y grŵp cynghori gweinidogol, ac fe allwn i weld unwaith eto bod y dull cydweithredol hwn o weithio yn parhau i fod yn gryfder gwirioneddol sydd gan y grŵp. Felly, beth ydym ni wedi ei gyflawni? Wel, fe gofiwch chi y llynedd ein bod ni wedi buddsoddi £9 miliwn i gefnogi plant sydd wedi cael y profiad o dderbyn gofal. Fe hoffwn i ddweud wrthych chi am rai o'r prif ganlyniadau o ran sut y defnyddiwyd yr arian hwnnw gan awdurdodau lleol. Mae mwy na 1,900 o blant ledled Cymru sydd wedi bod drwy'r system gofal wedi cael arian drwy ein Cronfa Dydd Gŵyl Dewi £1 miliwn, i'w cefnogi wrth iddyn nhw drosglwyddo i fod yn oedolion ac i annibyniaeth. Roedd ein buddsoddiad o £5 miliwn mewn gwasanaethau gofal ymylol yn golygu bod awdurdodau lleol wedi helpu dros 3,600 o blant i aros o fewn yr uned deuluol, drwy weithio gyda mwy na 2,000 o deuluoedd. Mae gennym bellach wasanaethau gofal ymylol ym mhob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru. Mae cyllid gan Lywodraeth Cymru wedi arwain at sefydlu gwasanaethau Adlewyrchu rhanbarthol. Yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, mae'r gwasanaethau hyn wedi cefnogi 150 o rieni ifanc y mae eu plant wedi eu rhoi yn y system gofal gydag amrywiaeth eang o faterion emosiynol ac ymarferol. Mae hwn yn wasanaeth poblogaidd, ac rydym yn disgwyl gweld nifer y rhai sy'n cael eu hatgyfeirio yn codi yn sylweddol yn y blynyddoedd i ddod. Rydym ni hefyd wedi darparu £1 miliwn i ymestyn y ddarpariaeth o gynghorwyr personol, fel bod pawb hyd at 25 oed sy'n gadael gofal, waeth beth fo'u hamgylchiadau, yn cael cynnig cynghorydd personol. O ganlyniad, mae 20 o gynghorwyr personol ychwanegol wedi eu recriwtio erbyn hyn, ac mae mwy na 500 o'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal wedi derbyn y cynnig estynedig. Ac yn olaf, mae'r rhai sy'n gadael gofal wedi cael cymorth i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd mewn addysg, gwaith a hyfforddiant, gyda 70 o bobl ifanc yn cael lleoliad gwaith drwy'r awdurdod lleol neu'n mynd ar gynllun hyfforddeiaeth. Mae'r rhain yn ganlyniadau real, mesuradwy, sy'n cael effaith uniongyrchol a chadarnhaol ar fywydau plant a phobl ifanc. Rydym ni wedi gwneud cynnydd gyda meysydd gwaith eraill. Er enghraifft, ym mis Mai eleni, fe wnaethom ni gyhoeddi ymchwil ar ganlyniadau lleoliadau i blant ar ôl gorchymyn gofal terfynol. Roedd yr ymchwil pwysig hwn yn dangos bod dros dri chwarter y plant yn yr astudiaeth yn sefydlog iawn o ran lleoliadau yn ogystal â nodi profiadau cadarnhaol eraill o ofal. Rydym ni hefyd wedi datblygu safonau cenedlaethol ar gyfer swyddogion adolygu annibynnol ac ar gyfer ymwelwyr annibynnol i sicrhau ansawdd a chysondeb y gwasanaeth. Ac fe wnaethom ni ariannu blwyddyn gyntaf gweithredu'r fframwaith maethu cenedlaethol. Rwy'n falch iawn bod fy nghyd-Aelod, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid, wedi cyhoeddi ymgynghoriad yr wythnos diwethaf ynglŷn ag eithrio bawb sy'n gadael gofal rhag talu'r dreth gyngor fel bod gennym ni gysondeb ledled Cymru. Mae hyn i gyd yn gynnydd da, ond mae mwy eto i'w wneud. Cyn yr haf, gofynnais am y rhaglen waith i gael ei chyflymu a'i dwysáu, i hwyluso cyflawni yn erbyn yr heriau allweddol, gan gynnwys y rhai a nodwyd yn 'Adolygiad o Ofal mewn Argyfwng'. O ganlyniad, mae'r rhaglen waith gwella canlyniadau ar gyfer plant wedi ei hadnewyddu. Mae'r trydydd cam hwn o'r rhaglen yn parhau llawer o'r gwaith pwysig sydd eisoes ar y gweill, ond mae'n rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar leihau'r angen am ofal drwy ddarparu cymorth effeithiol, ataliol a chynnar i deuluoedd, yn ogystal â sicrhau bod cefnogaeth therapiwtig i blant a theuluoedd yn hanfodol drwy gydol y rhaglen. Er mwyn llywio'r cam hwn, mae fy swyddogion yn cynnal ymchwiliad gwerthfawrogol ar draws chwe awdurdod lleol. Mae'r ymchwiliad yn tynnu sylw at waith cymdeithasol ataliol da a chymorth i deuluoedd a ddarperir gan awdurdodau lleol. Roedd pob awdurdod lleol yn dangos bod ganddyn nhw systemau gofal integredig lle mae timau aml-asiantaeth yn darparu cymorth amserol i deuluoedd fel y gallai argyfyngau gael eu lleihau neu eu hosgoi, gan helpu teuluoedd i aros gyda'i gilydd yn ddiogel. I ddangos hyn, un enghraifft oedd defnyddio cyfarfodydd grŵp teulu. Mae hyn yn ddull sy'n canolbwyntio ar y teulu sy'n galluogi plant, pobl ifanc, yn ogystal ag aelodau'r teulu ehangach, i gymryd rhan a rhoi eu hatebion eu hunain a fydd yn gwella eu hamgylchiadau. Mae hyn yn gydnaws â'n dull cydgynhyrchu, sy'n ganolog i'n Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014. Mae buddsoddi mewn dulliau ataliol ac ymyraeth gynnar o'r fath yn sicrhau arbedion yn y tymor hir. Yn rhan o gynigion y gyllideb ddrafft a gyhoeddwyd gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros gyllid ar gyfer 2019-20, dyranwyd £30 miliwn yn ychwanegol i fyrddau partneriaeth rhanbarthol i helpu i gryfhau'r trefniadau integreiddio hyn. Heddiw, rwyf yn falch o gyhoeddi y bydd £15 miliwn o'r arian hwn yn cael ei ddyrannu i symud ymlaen ein huchelgais a rennir o leihau'r angen i blant fod yn derbyn gofal. Mae hwn yn gyfle cyffrous i wneud gwahaniaeth gwirioneddol er mwyn newid y system gyfan. Hoffwn i awdurdodau lleol, sefydliadau'r trydydd sector a byrddau iechyd weithio gyda'i gilydd i ddefnyddio'r gronfa hon mewn modd hyblyg a chreadigol ar draws eu rhanbarthau. Fy nisgwyliad yw y bydd yr arian hwn yn canolbwyntio ar wasanaethau ataliol ac ymyrraeth gynnar ar gyfer teuluoedd sydd angen cefnogaeth a chymorth, gan adeiladu ar y dulliau y gwyddom eisoes sydd yn helpu teuluoedd i osgoi sefyllfaoedd argyfwng. Ar gyfer y plant a'r bobl ifanc hynny sy'n derbyn gofal, rwyf eisiau sicrhau bod gennym ar waith y gwasanaethau therapiwtig sydd eu hangen i'w helpu i aduno â'u teuluoedd yn llwyddiannus pan fo hynny'n briodol. Cyn imi orffen, hoffwn atgoffa pawb ei bod hi'n Wythnos Diogelu Genedlaethol. Rwyf yn falch iawn bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda Stop It Now! Cymru i lansio ymgyrch newydd, a fydd yn helpu i annog pobl Cymru i chwarae eu rhan wrth atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol.