Inquiry into the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on children and young people in Wales
Inquiry5
The Children, Young People and Education Committee explored how the outbreak of Covid-19 has affected all aspects of life for children and young people in Wales. including students in further and higher education. The inquiry ran from the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020) until the end of the Fifth Senedd (April 2021).
Terms of Reference
The Committee considered the impact of the outbreak and how it was being managed on children and young people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing, their education and their social care. How the Welsh Government and its associated public bodies were dealing with the situation and its impact on relevant sectors and professions were also be considered.
Outputs
To
enable timely scrutiny and regular engagement with the Welsh Government, the
Committee engaged in regular correspondence with Welsh Ministers. This
correspondence continued throughout the pandemic – details are provided below,
under the heading “Documents”.
The Committee published an interim report (PDF 1.52MB) on 8 July 2020. The Committee’s interim report was debated in Plenary on 15 July 2020, and the Welsh Government’s response provided orally in that debate.
On
24 March 2021, the Committee published its final report (PDF
211KB) on the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people.
On
12 July 2021 the Committee received a response
(PDF 891KB) from the Welsh Government. This was referred to the Sixth Senedd
Children, Young People and Education Committee.
Evidence
gathering
The
Committee gathered evidence to inform its work in a number of ways:
· Public engagement activity (PDF 79KB)
· Oral evidence:
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Evidence session |
Date, Agenda and Minutes |
Transcript |
Video |
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1. Welsh Government Kirsty Williams AM, Minister for Education Steve Davies, Director, Education Directorate Huw Morris, Group Director, Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Rob Orford, Chief Scientific Adviser for Health |
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2. Welsh Government Kirsty Williams AM, Minister for Education Steve Davies, Director, Education Directorate Huw Morris, Group Director, Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning |
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3. Welsh Government 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 |
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4. Vulnerable children Allison Hulme, National Director - BASW Cymru Sarah Crawley, Director – Barnardos Cymru Vivienne Laing, Policy and Public Affairs Manager – NSPCC Cymru Louise Israel, Childline Senior Supervisor – NSPCC Cymru |
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5. Vulnerable children Marian Parry Hughes, Head of the All Wales Heads of Children’s Services Sally Jenkins, Head of Children and Family Services – Newport City Council Craig McLeod, Senior Manager Children and Workforce – Flintshire County Council Jan Coles, Head of Children's Services - Powys County Council Jane Randell, Chair – National Independent Safeguarding Board |
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6. Physical and mental health of children and young
people Dr David Tuthill, Officer for Wales - Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Lisa Turnbull, Policy & Public Affairs Adviser - Royal College of Nursing Dr Mair Hopkin, Royal College of General Practitioners |
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7. Physical and mental health of children and young
people Simon Jones, Head of Policy & Influencing – Mind Cymru Kate Heneghan, Head in Wales - Papyrus Sarah Stone, Executive Director for Wales – Samaritans Cymru Stephanie Hoffman, Head of Social Action – Meic Cymru |
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8. Physical and mental health of children and young
people Dr Kristy Fenton, Consultant child & adolescent psychiatrist at Hywel Dda University Health Board and Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Wales' Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Dr Liz Gregory, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and representing Applied Psychologists in Health National Specialist Advisory Group Dr Bethan Phillips, Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Co-Chair of Division Clinical Psychology in Wales |
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9. Higher and Further education sector Professor Medwin Hughes, Vice-Chancellor - University of Wales Trinity Saint David and of the University of Wales Kieron Rees, Head of External Affairs and Policy - Universities Wales Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor - Aberystwyth University Professor Paul Boyle, Vice-Chancellor – Swansea University Dr David Blaney, Chief Executive – HEFCW |
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10. Higher and Further education sector Dr Rachel Bowen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs - ColegauCymru/CollegesWales Dr Andrew Cornish, Principal and Chief Executive - Coleg Sir Gar and Coleg Ceredigion Philip Blaker, Chief Executive – Qualifications Wales Denver Davies, Head of Monitoring and Compliance – Qualifications Wales |
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11. Higher and Further education sector Joe Atkinson, Press and Public Affairs Consultant – NUS Wales Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor – WONKHE Dr Myfanwy Davies, Council Governor appointed by Academic Staff - Bangor University Dan Beard, UNISON Higher Education executive member and chair of UNISON Cymru Wales |
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12. Welsh Government Kirsty Williams AM, Minister for Education Steve Davies, Director, Education Directorate Huw Morris, Group Director, Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning |
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13. Race Council Cymru Angel Ezeadum, Welsh Youth Parliament Member Ali Abdi, Lead Coordinator for National BAME Youth Forum and representing Race Council Cymru |
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14. Exams Ian Morgan, Chief Executive Elaine Carlile, Director of Qualifications, Assessment and Responsible Officer |
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15. Exams David Jones, Chair Philip Blaker, Chief Executive Jo Richards, Regulation Director |
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16. Welsh Government Kirsty Williams MS, Minister for Education Georgina Haarhoff, Deputy Director Curriculum Sinead Gallagher, Deputy Director of Higher Education |
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17. Children and young people Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales Rachel Thomas, Head of Policy and Public Affairs – Office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales |
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18. Remote teaching and learning, and exams and
assessments David Jones, Chair – Qualifications Wales Philip Blaker, Chief Executive - Qualifications Wales Jo Richards, Regulation Director - Qualifications Wales Ian Morgan, Chief Executive – WJEC Elaine Carlile, Director of Qualifications, Assessment and Responsible Officer – WJEC |
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19. Remote teaching and learning, and exams and
assessments Louise Casella, Chair of the independent review of the summer 2020 arrangements to award grades, and considerations for summer 2021 |
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20. Remote teaching and learning, and exams and
assessments Guy Lacey, CEO/Principal at Coleg Gwent and Vice Chair of ColegauCymru Kay Martin, Principal at Cardiff and Vale College and Chair of the ColegauCymru Curriculum and Quality Group Meinir Ebbsworth, Chief Education Officer / Corporate Lead Officer, Schools and Culture, Ceredigion Council and representing Association of Directors of Education Mike Tate, Assistant Director of Education and Lifelong Learning - Cardiff Council and representing Association of Directors of Education Cllr Ian Roberts, Leader of the Council and Cabinet member for Education - Flintshire County Council and Education Spokesperson for Welsh Local Government Association Arwyn Thomas, Managing Director – GwE Education Consortia and representing all the Regional Education Consortia |
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21. Higher education and staff & student well-
being Joe Atkinson, Press and Public Affairs Consultant – NUS Wales Becky Ricketts, President - NUS Wales Jamie Insole, Wales Policy Officer – University and College Union (UCU) Jim Dickinson, Associate Editor – WONKHE |
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22. Welsh Government Kirsty Williams MS, Minister for Education Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language Steve Davies, Director, Education Directorate Huw Morris, Group Director, Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Tracey Breheny, Deputy Director of Mental Health, Substance Misuse & Vulnerable Groups |
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23. Trade unions Eithne Hughes, Director - Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru Laura Doel, Director – National Association of Headteachers Cymru (NAHT) Rebecca Williams, Deputy General Secretary and Policy Officer - Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru (UCAC) Mary van den Heuvel, Wales Senior Policy Officer - National Education Union Neil Butler, National Official Wales – NASUWT Rosie Lewis, Regional Organiser, Cymru Wales schools lead - UNISON Nicola Savage, GMB Regional Organiser Wales and South West Region |
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24. Estyn Meilyr Rowlands, HM Chief Inspector Claire Morgan, Strategic Director Jassa Scott, Strategic Director |
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25. Welsh Government Kirsty Williams MS, Minister for Education Huw Morris, Group Director Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Steve Davies, Director Education Directorate |
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26. Children and young people Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales Rachel Thomas, Head of Policy and Public Affairs – Office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales |
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27. Welsh Local Government Association Cllr Ian Roberts, Leader of Flintshire County Council and Education Spokesperson Cllr Ellen Ap Gwynn, Leader of Ceredigion County Council and Deputy Education Spokesperson and Welsh Language Cllr Philippa Marsden, Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council and Workforce Spokesperson Cllr Huw David, Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council and Health and Social Care Spokesperson Sharon Davies, Head of Education |
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28. Statutory education Luke Sibieta, Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Education Policy Institute Professor Chris Taylor, Professor of Education and Academic Director of the Social Science Research Park (SPARK) - Cardiff University |
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29. Statutory education Gareth Evans, Director of Education Policy, University of Wales Trinity Saint David Professor Dylan Jones, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Institute of Education, University Wales Trinity St David |
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30. Mental and physical health Professor Ann John, Professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Swansea University Medical School and Chair of the National Advisory Group to Welsh Government on the prevention of suicide and self-harm. Professor Alka Ahuja, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist & National Clinical Lead, TEC (Technology Enabled Care) Cymru and Public Engagement Lead, Royal College of Psychiatrists Wales Professor Adrian Edwards, Professor of General Practice at Cardiff University, Director of the new Wales COVID-19 Evidence Centre, Director of PRIME Centre Wales (all-Wales centre for primary and emergency care research) and part time GP Dr David Tuthill, Consultant Paediatrician and Officer for Wales at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health |
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31. Higher education Dr Ben Calvert, Chair of Universities Wales Learning & Teaching Network and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of South Wales Amanda Wilkinson, Director of Universities Wales Kieron Rees, Head of Policy and External Affairs, Universities Wales Dr David Blaney, Chief Executive, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales Bethan Owen, Deputy Chief Executive, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
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32. Further Education Philip Blaker, Chief Executive, Qualifications Wales Denver Davies, Head of Monitoring and Compliance, Qualifications Wales Yana Williams, Chief Executive, Coleg Cambria Barry Walters, Principal of Pembrokeshire College Karen Phillips, Principal of Coleg y Cymoedd |
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33. Vulnerable children Sarah Crawley, Director of Children’s Services - Barnardo’s Cymru Brigitte Gater, National Director Wales - Action for Children Cecile Gwilym, Policy & Public Affairs Manager - NSPCC |
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34. Vulnerable children Deborah Jones, Chief Executive Officer - Voices from Care Emma Phipps-Magill, Well-being Manager - Voices from Care Sharon Lovell, Chief Executive Officer – National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) Cymru Ben Twomey, Director of Policy and Research - National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) Cymru Jackie Murphy, Chief Executive Officer - Tros Gynnal Plant (TGP) Cymru |
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35. Vulnerable children Sally Jenkins, Head of Children and Family Services – Newport City Council Jan Coles, Head of Children’s Services - Powys County Council Nicola Stubbins, President of the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) Cymru Jonathan Griffiths, Director of Social Services and Housing - Pembrokeshire County Council |
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Business type: Committee Inquiry
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: Inquiry in progress
First published: 30/04/2020
Decision due: 23 Jun 2020 by Children, Young People and Education Committee - Fifth Senedd
Documents
- Committee correspondence
- Details of the Committee’s correspondence with the Welsh Government, stakeholders, and other committees
PDF 213 KB - Public engagement
- Letter from the Children’s Commissioner for Wales to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee – Lockdown arrangements – 13 January 2021 PDF 376 KB
- Discussion with young people and staff from Voices from - 2 July 2020 PDF 102 KB
- Summary of public engagement activity PDF 96 KB
- Additional stakeholder correspondence
- Letter from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee regarding the launched report on Maternal Mental Health During a Pandemic - 23 March 2021 PDF 99 KB
- Letter from the Children’s Commissioner for Wales to the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee regarding the Committee’s ongoing scrutiny of education provision during the pandemic - 13 January 2021 PDF 376 KB
- Additional correspondence with other committees
- Letter from the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to all Committee Chairs regarding scrutiny of COVID-19 regulations - 22 October 2020 PDF 251 KB
- Letter from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee to the Llywydd and Chair of the Business Committee - 25 June 2020 PDF 230 KB
- Letter from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee to the Chair of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills – 27 May 2020 PDF 210 KB
- Letter from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee to the Llywydd and Chair of the Business Committee - 15 April 2020 PDF 85 KB
Consultations