Meetings

NDM8205 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Habilitation training for sight-impaired children

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Meeting: 15/02/2023 - Plenary (Item 7)

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Habilitation training for sight-impaired children

NDM8205 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes research from Guide Dogs Cymru suggesting that 2,000 sight-impaired children would benefit from habilitation training.

2. Further notes that habilitation training is vital for developing personal mobility, navigation and independent living skills for sight-impaired children.

3. Is disappointed that a number of Welsh local authorities do not offer habilitation training, despite their duty to have due regard to Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) urgently provide a workforce plan on habilitation services; and

b) ensure local authorities employ at least one habilitation specialist per 100 children who are visually impaired.

Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete points 3 and 4 and replace with:

3. Calls on all Welsh local authorities to offer habilitation training, in line with their duty to have due regard to Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to engage with relevant stakeholders to help develop an improvement plan for habilitation services for children who are visually impaired, to include consideration of their training needs and how to meet these.

Minutes:

The item started at 17.10

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8205 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes research from Guide Dogs Cymru suggesting that 2,000 sight-impaired children would benefit from habilitation training.

2. Further notes that habilitation training is vital for developing personal mobility, navigation and independent living skills for sight-impaired children.

3. Is disappointed that a number of Welsh local authorities do not offer habilitation training, despite their duty to have due regard to Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) urgently provide a workforce plan on habilitation services; and

b) ensure local authorities employ at least one habilitation specialist per 100 children who are visually impaired.

Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

For

Abstain

Against

Total

25

0

26

51

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Presiding Officer cast her vote by voting against the motion. Therefore, the motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete points 3 and 4 and replace with:

3. Calls on all Welsh local authorities to offer habilitation training, in line with their duty to have due regard to Article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to engage with relevant stakeholders to help develop an improvement plan for habilitation services for children who are visually impaired, to include consideration of their training needs and how to meet these.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

25

0

26

51

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Presiding Officer exercised her casting vote by voting against the amendment. Therefore, the amendment  was not agreed.

As the Senedd did not agree the motion without amendment, and did not agree the amendment tabled to the motion, the motion was therefore not agreed.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.44, at 17.48 the bell was rung and the meeting suspended until Voting Time.