, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay. Well, I think it's important to say that, when the legislation was going through, one of the key selling points was that it was going to reduce disputes. I'm not convinced that that has happened, and I don't think that's for want of trying. I don't…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
—to a much more broad interpretation of neurodiversity, which I think is really the right place to be, and is very much supported by practitioners. I think we have to be careful about what we're asking schools to do. They're not clinicians. There is a limit…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, as you say, we had a very strong focus on autism, but Government policy has shifted now, I think—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
We think that's a really important question, because all behaviour with children is communication, isn't it? I do recognise that. One of the things I am looking to put in place is more consistent professional learning around children who are neurodiverse…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Obviously, they're under huge pressures of their own. This is about bringing two really challenged systems together.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
—that I don't think we should get into the space, though, where we blame health for that?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Can I just say, Hefin—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
I do.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
I think there is a chance to resolve those issues. Obviously, we've got the multi-agency group that's been set up, but what I'm keen to do is make sure that health are a key part of any arrangements I put in place now to drive delivery in this area, and I've…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Thanks, Hefin. As you highlighted, this was a really thorny issue, wasn't it, when the legislation was going through. I do recognise that it is still a big challenge for us to address. As I said, I met the DECLOs last week. I was really struck by how…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
I think we have got the processes in place. The WESPs are a good process, from what I've seen initially; you may have a different view, and I'll be looking at the ones that come in in the summer. We have got a mechanism in place to look in that granular…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
There are geographic issues and local authorities should be addressing this through their WESPs, shouldn't they? As Hannah said, I went to the school where they've got this new resource unit opening that we've funded—it's opening after half term. I asked them…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
I think there is some provision available in special schools, but I don't think it would be consistent. Hannah.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
It is a priority for me. If people want to educate their children through the medium of Welsh, whether they've got additional learning needs or not, they should be able to do it. We don't want children and young people left behind. I do recognise what you're…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
As you say, Heledd, recruitment and retention are a challenge, and I'm very conscious that it's tough at the moment in schools. Schools are working really hard, they've come out of a global pandemic. We have put a variety of things in place to improve…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay. We'll write to you. Just to say that's a mix of implementation money for ALN, but it also includes post-16 funding and capital. And today I've announced an additional £20 million for capital provision to make environments suitable and for equipment et…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, it's come from the education main expenditure group. I can give you a breakdown of it, Heledd, if it helps—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay, well, if I can start with your last point, which is the broader education picture that we’ve got. Obviously, it is very challenging, Heledd, and you’re well aware of that. Our budget is worth £700 million less than it was at the time of the last…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Thank you, Heledd, and clearly, that’s an incredibly important point, isn’t it, really? And I, as a constituency MS, have met families who no longer send their children to school because they don’t feel that the school is meeting their needs, and that…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, I don't think what I've said is contradictory at all. If I can use the whole-school approach to mental health as an example, I brought, obviously, a lot of my learning from that into this job. So, the whole-school approach to mental health is a…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Okay, thank you. Can I just say, Jack, that I did meet with the ALN reform parents and, obviously, what they said was very concerning? But I was also struck by the fact that they said to me, 'We want to be part of the solution', and it is vital that families…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, I want to make sure that all children and young people are supported and there are parallels here with mental health, aren't there really? Because one of the terms that the committee that I chaired termed in mental health was the 'missing middle'. They…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Well, as you say, Jack, the term 'universal provision' isn't in the Act, it isn't in the code, and I know that it was something that the judge highlighted with the committee when she came before you. As I said, I don't think we should assume that universal…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Implementation of education reforms: evidence session
Workload is a huge concern across the school system. It's something we're really focused on. Tackling workload for school staff is a priority. We've got a range of work going on in this space. So, we've got our strategic workload co-ordination group, which is…
