Agenda and minutes

1.1 The Chair welcomed everybody to the meeting. Apologies had been received from Suzy Davies.

Carl Sargeant, Minister for Local Government and Communities
Karin Phillips, Deputy Director - Community Safety Division.
Sarah Cooper, Head of Youth Justice

Break (10:00 – 10:10)

2.1 The Chair welcomed the Minister and his officials to the meeting. Members questioned the witnesses.

2.2 The Minister agreed to provide further information on:

-        The breakdown of placements of children within secure custody in Wales including location, and gender breakdown

-        Whether the all the money in the Safeguarding Communities fund was spent during the last financial year

-        The youth justice revenue budget

-        Strengthening the role of the Children’s Commissioners for Welsh Children in Secure custody in England

-        The numbers of custodial remands ending up in secure sentences

http://childcom.org.uk/uploads/publications/273.pdf

Keith Towler, Children’s Commissioner for Wales

3.1 The Chair welcomed Keith Towler, Children’s Commissioner for Wales to the meeting.  Members questioned the Commissioner.

3.2 The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Health and Social Services about the continued lack of guidance for assessing children’s health care needs.

3.3 The Committee agreed to write to the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services about the Welsh Government’s progress in implementing the recommendations of the previous Children and Young People Committee’s report on child budgeting; and the delay in the production of the Child Poverty Strategy Delivery Plan.

View the meeting transcript.