NDM7287 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Looked-after children
NDM7287 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Looked-after children
NDM7287 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To
propose that the National Assembly for Wales;
1.
Notes the Public Accounts Committee’s report into care experienced children and
young people and the Ministerial Advisory Group for Improving Outcomes for
Children Programme’s Annual Report 2019.
2.
Further notes that the life chances of looked-after children and care leavers
are significantly poorer than those children who are not in care.
3.
Regrets that the number of looked after children in Wales has risen by 34 per
cent in the last 15 years, and that nearly 10 per cent of children in care have
been in three or more placements.
4.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a)
urgently review local authority plans on reducing the numbers of looked-after
children;
b)
assist local authorities in recruiting 550 Welsh foster families to cover the
gaps found by the Fostering Network;
c)
investigate financial and rehabilitative support available to adoptive parents;
and
d)
ensure the roll out of access to free positive parenting courses to be offered
for all parents and guardians across Wales .
Public
Accounts Committee report - Care Experienced Children and Young People -
November 2018
Ministerial
Advisory Group for Improving Outcomes for Children Programme’s Annual Report
2019
The
following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment
1 - Sian
Gwenllian (Arfon)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Recognises
that there are complex reasons behind the increasing levels of children in
care, but believes that the expectation on local authorities to set targets in
order to address the problem is a superficial solution.
Amendment
2 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Believes
that:
a)
a well-recognised route out of care is via good quality contact between looked
after children and their parents;
b)
contact ought not to be reduced or restricted for the convenience of paid care
providers; and
c)
restricted contact can retain children in care for longer than necessary.
Amendment
3 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Recognises
that care leavers who become parents are also at risk of discrimination and
that all looked after children's cases might usefully be revisited to check for
any history of discrimination against parents that contributed to their child
remaining looked after.
Amendment
4 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Recognises
that the profit motive should be taken out of children's care and that private
companies are not best placed to serve the interests of children in Wales going
forward.
Amendment
5 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Demands
that children who allege abuse in care are taken seriously and that they are
provided with an advocate, spoken to by a child protection specialist in a
place of safety in order to go through the issues they have raised.
Amendment
6 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Recognises
that investigations of complaints disputing facts in intake and assessment
reports in relation to looked after children need to be totally independent and
not paid for by the county council about whom the complainant is complaining.
Business type: Debate
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: Complete
First published: 04/06/2021
Decision due: 4 Mar 2020 by Plenary - Fifth Senedd
Lead member: Darren Millar MS