English: Diolch. Shadow Minister Janet Finch-Saunders opened this debate highlighting the need to recognise and support young adult carers in Wales, to recognise independent reports, to recognise progressive Welsh Conservative recommendations for delivering social justice to young carers in Wales. As she said, young adult carers should not be disadvantaged, stigmatised or subjected to bullying. She said that there are more than 21,000 young adult carers in Wales aged 14 to 25, providing assistance and support for families and friends. The Minister actually referred to a higher figure of 29,000 providing care of an hour or more. The Carers Trust 'Time to be Heard Wales' research referred to found that young adult carers miss or cut short an average of 48 school days a year because of their caring role. They were four times more likely to drop out of college or university than students who were not caring. They rarely receive the assessment of their needs they're entitled to, and they experience higher rates of bullying. Dai Lloyd moved an amendment highlighting the importance of respite care for young carers, which we will, of course, be supporting. Suzy Davies expressed her disappointment with the Labour Welsh Government amendment. As she said, they don't have to expect local authorities to introduce ID cards across Wales; they can insist. They can do something but choose not to. As Rhianon Passmore said, when things that should happen under the social services and well-being Act don't, they should. Mohammad Asghar referred to the contribution made by young carers, and that cannot be overstated. He talked about more caring being provided and caring longer. The life chances of young carers should not be reduced, and our moral duty is to care for our young carers. As David Melding said, one of the great barriers is how young carers access further and higher education. As Michelle Brown said, young carers deserve a life of their own. The Deputy Minister, Julie Morgan, stated that young adult carers should have every opportunity to reach their potential in life, and, as she said, no-one in our communities should be left behind. Well, it's now seven years since Flintshire became the first county in Wales to launch an ID card scheme for young carers or children in care to help them explain their situation and ensure that they received proper recognition and quick access to the support services they needed. This was developed by young carers who were either part of Barnardo's Cymru young carers service in Flintshire or supported by children's social services there. As I then said at a meeting in the Senedd seven years ago, it's the first scheme in Wales to help these young people receive the recognition and prompt access to services that they need. The children's commissioner told us he hoped that other local authorities would pick this up and that he was working with the Welsh Government to deliver a national identity card on this basis. Seven years later, it is wrong that this has not happened. I hope you will take heed of our recommendation.
Welsh: Diolch. Agorodd Gweinidog yr wrthblaid, Janet Finch-Saunders, y ddadl drwy dynnu sylw at yr angen i gydnabod a chefnogi oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr yng Nghymru, i gydnabod adroddiadau annibynnol, a chydnabod argymhellion blaengar y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig ar gyfer sicrhau cyfiawnder cymdeithasol i ofalwyr ifanc yng Nghymru. Fel y dywedodd, ni ddylai oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr fod o dan anfantais, cael eu stigmateiddio neu ddioddef bwlio. Dywedodd fod dros 21,000 o'r oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr yng Nghymru rhwng 14 a 25 oed, ac yn darparu cymorth a chefnogaeth i deuluoedd a ffrindiau. Mewn gwirionedd, cyfeiriodd y Gweinidog at ffigur uwch o 29,000 sy'n darparu gofal am awr neu fwy. Yn ôl yr ymchwil 'Time to be Heard Wales' gan Ymddiriedolaeth y Gofalwyr, gwelwyd bod oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr yn colli neu'n colli rhan o 48 o ddyddiau ysgol y flwyddyn ar gyfartaledd oherwydd eu rôl fel gofalwyr. Roeddent bedair gwaith yn fwy tebygol o adael y coleg neu'r brifysgol na myfyrwyr nad oeddent yn gofalu. Anaml y byddant yn cael yr asesiad o'u hanghenion y mae ganddynt hawl iddo, ac maent yn profi cyfraddau uwch o fwlio. Cynigiodd Dai Lloyd welliant a oedd yn tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd gofal seibiant i ofalwyr ifanc, a byddwn yn cefnogi hwnnw wrth gwrs. Mynegodd Suzy Davies ei siom ynghylch gwelliant Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru. Fel y dywedodd, nid oes yn rhaid iddynt ddisgwyl i awdurdodau lleol gyflwyno cardiau adnabod ledled Cymru; gallant fynnu. Gallant wneud rhywbeth ond maent yn dewis peidio. Fel y dywedodd Rhianon Passmore, pan nad yw pethau a ddylai ddigwydd o dan y Ddeddf gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a llesiant yn digwydd, fe ddylent wneud hynny. Cyfeiriodd Mohammad Asghar at y cyfraniad a wneir gan ofalwyr ifanc, ac ni ellir gorbwysleisio hynny. Soniodd am ddarparu mwy o ofal a gofalu am gyfnod hwy o amser. Ni ddylid lleihau cyfleoedd bywyd gofalwyr ifanc, a'n dyletswydd foesol yw gofalu am ein gofalwyr ifanc. Fel y dywedodd David Melding, un o'r rhwystrau mawr yw'r modd y mae gofalwyr ifanc yn cael mynediad at addysg bellach ac uwch. Fel y dywedodd Michelle Brown, mae gofalwyr ifanc yn haeddu eu bywyd eu hunain. Dywedodd y Dirprwy Weinidog, Julie Morgan, y dylai oedolion ifanc sy'n ofalwyr gael pob cyfle i gyflawni eu potensial mewn bywyd, ac fel y dywedodd, ni ddylai neb yn ein cymunedau gael ei adael ar ôl. Wel, mae saith mlynedd wedi mynd heibio bellach ers i Sir y Fflint ddod yn sir gyntaf yng Nghymru i lansio cynllun cardiau adnabod ar gyfer gofalwyr ifanc neu blant mewn gofal i'w helpu i egluro eu sefyllfa a sicrhau eu bod yn cael cydnabyddiaeth briodol a mynediad cyflym at y gwasanaethau cymorth sydd eu hangen arnynt. Datblygwyd hyn gan ofalwyr ifanc a oedd naill ai'n rhan o wasanaeth gofalwyr ifanc Barnardo's Cymru yn Sir y Fflint neu a gefnogwyd gan wasanaethau cymdeithasol plant yno. Fel y dywedais ar y pryd mewn cyfarfod yn y Senedd saith mlynedd yn ôl, dyma'r cynllun cyntaf yng Nghymru i helpu'r bobl ifanc hyn i gael y gydnabyddiaeth a'r mynediad prydlon at wasanaethau sydd eu hangen arnynt. Dywedodd y comisiynydd plant wrthym ei fod yn gobeithio y byddai awdurdodau lleol eraill yn ymateb i hyn a'i fod yn gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru i ddarparu cerdyn adnabod cenedlaethol ar y sail hon. Saith mlynedd yn ddiweddarach, nid yw'n iawn nad yw hyn wedi digwydd. Gobeithio y byddwch yn gwrando ar ein hargymhelliad.