Agenda and minutes

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members to the virtual meeting of the Children, Young People and Education Committee.

1.2 In accordance with Standing Order 34.19, the Chair stated that she had determined that the public were excluded from the Committee’s meeting in order to protect public health.

1.3 The Chair stated that if for any reason she dropped out of the meeting, the Committee agreed that Dawn Bowden AM would become Temporary Chair in accordance with Standing Order 17.22.

1.4 Apologies were received from Hefin David AM, there was no substitute.  There were no declarations of interest.

Vaughan Gething AM, Minister for Health and Social Services  

Julie Morgan AM, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services

Albert Heaney, Deputy Director General, Health and Social Services Group

Nicola Edwards, Deputy Director, Childcare, Play and Early Years

Jean White, Chief Nursing Officer

Tracey Breheny, Deputy Director of Mental Health, Substance Misuse & Vulnerable Groups

2.1 Members questioned the Minister and Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services about Covid-19 and its impact on children and young people.

2.2 The Minister for Health and Social Services agreed to write to the Committee once the report on unexpected deaths during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in Wales was available and the Welsh Government had had an opportunity to consider it.

2.3 The Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services agreed to:

·         provide information on how much of the support provided by the Welsh Government through the Third Sector COVID-19 Response Fund and the Third Sector Resilience Fund administered by the WCVA is being targeted to children and young people;

·         clarify what funds available for third sector services represent the continuation of existing work and what represents additional funding;

·         confirm the reporting timescales for the recently announced task and finish group with carers’ representatives which is considering the specific needs of a broad range of carers during and following the Covid-19 pandemic.

3.1 Before agreeing the Motion, the Chair noted that this meeting was the last formal business of the National Assembly for Wales before becoming the Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament.

3.2 The Motion was agreed.

4.1 Members considered the evidence heard during the scrutiny session. They agreed to write to the Minister and Deputy Minister to request further information on some of the issues raised during the session.

5.1 The Committee considered a paper on forthcoming Committee business in relation to COVID-19. Members agreed a work programme to gather evidence from stakeholders, prioritising the following areas for future meetings:

·         the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable children;

·         the impact of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of children and young people;

·         the impact of COVID-19 on higher and further education.