English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. There is huge concern, of course, about the increasing levels of children in care in Wales, to such an extent that it formed a large part of the Thomas report, looking at the justice system. In that report, they highlight the fact that the percentage of children receiving care in Wales is quite a bit higher than in England and Northern Ireland, and we heard some of the frightening figures quoted by the individual who moved the motion. What is remarkable about the figures is the substantial and ongoing increase in that percentage in Wales, and that the gap between Wales and England is growing. It is worth drawing the Senedd's attention to the assessment and recommendations made in the Thomas report on looked-after children, and therefore I urge the Government to respond formally to those recommendations, and particularly to give consideration to the urgent steps and the short-term recommendations that are made. According to professionals working in this area, there are a number of reasons for the substantial change in the needs that are emerging in this area There's no denying that, as a background to all of this, there are years of poverty. The austerity policies - the policies by those who proposed this debate - are the background to all of this. There is no denying the impact of austerity. There are other changes, of course. Changes in society certainly form part of the picture, as well as emerging issues. For example: county lines, problematic and inappropriate sexual behaviour, use of social media, online abuse, and so on and so forth. Historically, these weren't prominent factors, but of course they are now. The Welsh Government has asked local governments across Wales to formulate plans to reduce the number of children in care, and those are to be welcomed. They could give a focus to services, recognising the changes that have emerged too. But, as I have said previously, numerical targets aren't an effective means of reducing the number of children in care. As we say in our amendment, numerical targets in and of themselves are a superficial solution in tackling this particular problem. I do think that that is now accepted, and that there is now a better understanding of that within Government than there was just a few months ago, and I do welcome that. We need holistic solutions: preventative work; more funding for mental health services; and a multi-agency focus within our schools. Reducing numbers does require comprehensive solutions. We may need legislative changes. We certainly need to look at the courts processes, and we need to look at how kinship care is different in Scotland to the situation in Wales. We need to look at placements with parents, where the child would live at home with a parent with a care order and with support, but unfortunately, in some areas, the courts are very reticent in agreeing to that. Certainly, we need substantial investment in preventative services, and short-term grants aren't sufficient in maintaining those services. So, I do welcome what the PAC and Thomas commission reports state, namely, that we need to make whole-system improvements in order to provide timely services to families so that they are supported in staying together, with the ultimate aim of reducing the number of children in the care system. Before I conclude, I would like to mention one other issue this afternoon. I would like to thank the Children's Society for contacting some of us to talk about the thousands of European children who are in care in the UK. Now, legislative changes in light of leaving the European Union could create problems for children in care, particularly as they become adults, as some of them will need new documentation to secure their status. So, I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Welsh Government. One, do you have any idea how many children in Wales fall into this category? And secondly, what can you do to assist local authorities, who are the corporate parents, to identify those children and to ensure that these applications are made? It's extremely important that this cohort of children receiving care don't fall through the net. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Mae yna ofid mawr, wrth gwrs, am lefelau cynyddol o blant mewn gofal yng Nghymru, hynny i'r graddau y bu iddo fo ffurfio rhan fawr o adroddiad Thomas, sy'n edrych ar y system gyfiawnder yng Nghymru. Yn yr adroddiad yna, maen nhw'n tynnu sylw at y ffaith fod cyfradd y plant sy'n derbyn gofal yng Nghymru gryn dipyn yn uwch nag yn Lloegr a Gogledd Iwerddon, ac mi glywsom ni rai o'r ffigurau brawychus yna gan y cynigydd. Yr hyn sy'n nodedig o'r ffigurau ydy'r cynnydd sylweddol a pharhaus yn y gyfradd yng Nghymru, a'r ffaith fod y bwlch rhwng Cymru a Lloegr yn tyfu. Mae'n werthu tynnu sylw'r Senedd at asesiad ac argymhellion adroddiad Thomas ar blant mewn gofal, ac felly dwi'n pwyso ar y Llywodraeth i ymateb yn ffurfiol i'r argymhellion hynny, ac yn enwedig i roi ystyriaeth i'r camau brys a'r argymhellion tymor byr sy'n cael eu hawgrymu. Yn ôl gweithwyr proffesiynol yn y maes, mae yna nifer o resymau am y newid sylweddol yn yr anghenion sydd yn amlygu eu hunain yn y maes yma. Does dim gwadu, yn gefndir i hyn i gyd, wrth gwrs, mae blynyddoedd o dlodi. Mae polisïau llymder - polisïau llymder gan gynigwyr y ddadl hon heddiw - yn y cefndir yna hefyd; does dim gwadu hynny. Mae newidiadau eraill hefyd, wrth gwrs. Mae newidiadau mewn cymdeithas yn rhan o'r darlun, yn ogystal â materion newydd yn dod i sylw. Er enghraifft: county lines, ymddygiad rhywiol problemus ac anaddas, defnydd o'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol, cam-drin dros y wê, ac yn y blaen. Ac yn hanesyddol, doedd rhain ddim yn ffactorau amlwg ond, wrth gwrs, maen nhw erbyn hyn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gofyn i awdurdodau lleol ledled Cymru i greu cynlluniau i leihau'r niferoedd sydd mewn gofal, ac mae'r cynlluniau hynny i'w croesawu. Maen nhw'n gallu rhoi ffocws i'r gwasanaethau, gan gydnabod y newidiadau sydd wedi digwydd hefyd. Ond, fel dwi wedi dweud o'r blaen, dydy targedau rhifyddol ddim yn ddull digon effeithiol i leihau niferoedd y plant mewn gofal. Fel rydym ni'n dweud yn ein gwelliant, mae targedau rhifyddol yn ddull arwynebol o geisio mynd i'r afael â'r broblem. Dwi yn credu bod yna dderbyniad o hynny erbyn hyn, a bod yna well ddealltwriaeth o hyn gan y Llywodraeth nag oedd ychydig fisoedd yn ôl, ac dwi yn croesawu hynny. Mae angen atebion holistaidd: gwaith ataliol; mwy o arian i wasanaethau iechyd meddwl; a chael ffocws aml-asiantaethol yn ein hysgolion ni. Mae gostwng y nifer yn gofyn am atebion cynhwysfawr. Mae'n bosib bod angen newidiadau i ddeddfwriaeth. Mae'n sicr angen edrych ar y broses llysoedd, ac mae angen edrych ar sut mae kinship care yn wahanol yn yr Alban i sut mae o yng Nghymru. Mae angen edrych ar leoliadau gyda rhieni, lle mae plentyn yn byw adref efo rhieni ar orchymyn gofal ac efo cefnogaeth, ond, yn anffodus, mewn rhai ardaloedd, mae'r llysoedd yn gyndyn iawn o gytuno i hynny. Yn sicr, mae angen buddsoddiad mawr mewn gwasanaethau ataliol, a dydy grantiau tymor byr ddim yn ddigon i gynnal y gwasanaethau hynny. Felly, dwi'n croesawu'r hyn y mae'r adroddiad PAC ac adroddiad Thomas yn ei ddweud, sef bod angen gwneud gwelliannau system gyfan er mwyn darparu gwasanaethau amserol a chynnar i deuluoedd, fel eu bod nhw'n cael eu cefnogi i aros efo'i gilydd, efo'r nod yn y pen draw, wrth gwrs, i leihau nifer y plant yn y system ofal. Cyn cloi, hoffwn i jest sôn am un mater arall y prynhawn yma. Buaswn i yn hoffi diolch i Gymdeithas y Plant am gysylltu efo rhai ohonom ni i sôn am y miloedd o blant Ewropeaidd sydd yn blant mewn gofal yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Rŵan, fe all newidiadau deddfwriaethol yn sgil gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd greu problemau i blant mewn gofal, yn enwedig wrth iddyn nhw ddod yn oedolion, gan y bydd angen i rai ohonyn nhw gael dogfennau newydd i sicrhau eu statws. Felly, hoffwn gymryd y cyfle i holi Llywodraeth Cymru. Un, a oes gennych chi syniad faint o blant yng Nghymru sydd yn disgyn i'r categori yma? Ac yn ail: beth ydych chi'n gallu ei wneud i helpu awdurdodau lleol, sef y rhieni corfforaethol, i adnabod y plant a gwneud yn siŵr fod y ceisiadau yma'n cael eu gwneud? Mae'n ofnadwy o bwysig nad ydy'r garfan yma o blant mewn gofal yn disgyn drwy'r rhwyd. Diolch.