Mark Isherwood: Okay. Thank you. My final question, a slight change of tack, but the latest Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales's annual report shows that of the 149 applications not still pending at the time of the publication, only 21 were dismissed, suggesting that the SEN system's operation was broken. Concluding my response to you in yesterday's debate on the president of the Welsh Tribunals'...
Mark Isherwood: ..., to standardise procedural rules across the tribunals, to replace the existing separate tribunals with a single unified first-tier tribunal, and to bring the Valuation Tribunal for Wales and school exclusion appeals panels within the unified new first-tier tribunal. In his response, the Counsel General told me that he looked forward to receiving the commission's recommendations. It would...
Mark Isherwood: ...Defence to provide resettlement centre services in Wales, ensure that injured veterans can consistently access chronic pain treatment, commit to permanently fund the Supporting Service Children in Education Wales fund, expand and accelerate roll-out of guaranteed interviews for armed forces service leavers, reservists and spouses for public sector jobs in Wales, extend housing priority...
Mark Isherwood: ...and mould growth in the home. And cold indoor conditions have also been linked to poor mental health, resulting from anxiety and stress, and cold homes also exacerbate social isolation and reduce educational attainment, therefore crossing into social justice issues. Speaking at National Energy Action Cymru's fuel poverty conference in February 2019, I stated that your predecessor had told...
Mark Isherwood: ...-quality mental health support and recovery in the community, including a project that empowers young people to build resilience, boost confidence and manage difficult emotions, has told me that school leaders they’ve spoken to in Flintshire are facing a significant increase in the numbers of young people in their care presenting with mental health issues and concerns. They say many...
Mark Isherwood: ...CAMHS, is based in Alyn and Deeside. I continue to receive casework where children are denied autism diagnosis by Flintshire CAMHS because they've adopted effective masking and coping strategies in school, although they then melt down at home. In these cases, the council then blames poor parenting, with children even taken into care. Although the families in these cases are then forced to...
Mark Isherwood: ...replace the existing separate tribunals with a single unified first-tier tribunal broken down into chambers catering for similar claims, and, finally, to bring the Valuation Tribunal for Wales and school exclusion appeals panels within the unified new first-tier tribunal?
Mark Isherwood: ...and the consequential impact on 14 to 19 learning pathways to provide a legal basis for learners aged 14 to 16 to progress to vocational and technical pathways provided independently by further education institutions, and the necessary funding to support these learners. It's now many years since the Welsh Conservatives first called for the creation of two equal education streams, beginning...
Mark Isherwood: ...will receive £20,520 per person over three years for resettlement and integration costs, and local councils and health partners that resettle families will receive up to £4,500 per child for education, £850 to cover English language provision for adults requiring this support, and £2,600 to cover healthcare? What action will you be taking to ensure wider support from the devolved...
Mark Isherwood: ...previous Senedd terms, this is an issue I've long been involved with in both north and south Wales. My proposed Bill would make provision to encourage the use of BSL in Wales, and improve access to education and services in BSL. As you know, however, the vote here in February only noted my legislative proposal, and a Bill therefore needs to be successfully proposed in this Parliament so...
Mark Isherwood: Diolch. I also wish to comment on your reference to residential outdoor education centres, some of whom contacted me yesterday, which was how I found out about the Welsh Government statement, as we hadn't been notified directly as Members. I first raised concerns expressed by residential outdoor education centres regarding Welsh Government coronavirus guidance with the Welsh Government here...
Mark Isherwood: How is the Welsh Government supporting deaf children and young people in education in Wales?
Mark Isherwood: I call for an urgent Welsh Government statement on support for outdoor education providers in Wales. A sector representative e-mailed me yesterday stating, quote, 'I wanted to make you aware of this issue that is affecting rural Wales and, indeed, north Wales most severely. I ask that you take the matter forward to the Welsh Government. The situation has reached a critical point and, quite...
Mark Isherwood: ...reports that this allocates almost £1.3 billion additional fiscal resource and almost £837 million in capital, with the main increases in economy and transport, housing and local government, and education. The backdrop is the £5.2 billion provided by the UK Government to the Welsh Government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The additional £650 million this financial year brings...
Mark Isherwood: ...Wales, making services more accessible to people who rely on BSL in Wales.' Suzy Davies says that BSL is not just a language, but a sense of identity, and deaf awareness should be provided in every school. The Deputy Minister, Jane Hutt, as I've said in my speech, reminded us that in 2004 the Welsh Government recognised BSL as a language in its own right, but as D/deaf people across Wales...
Mark Isherwood: ...together and working together was a critical factor in the success of the BSL Bill in Scotland. My proposed Bill would make provision to encourage the use of BSL in Wales and improve access to education and services in BSL. In 2019, Deffo!, Wales's deaf youth forum, submitted a petition to the Senedd to improve access to education and services in BSL. They state their disappointment that...
Mark Isherwood: ...introduce legislation enabling that to happen. We accept the Minister's argument that our proposed amendment yesterday would have meant an election could have potentially clashed with the September school return, which is why we've instead proposed 26 August, although clearly the summer months of June or July would be preferable if there had to be any delay at all. Holding an election...
Mark Isherwood: Thank you. When the Welsh Government first advised schools to close in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, it stated that this was with the exception of making provision for children who are vulnerable, or whose parents are critical to the COVID-19 response. Welsh Government guidance states that vulnerable children includes those with care and support or support plans and those with statements...
Mark Isherwood: 1. What support is the Welsh Government providing for autistic pupils in school settings in Wales? OQ56257
Mark Isherwood: Unlike England, where it's mandatory for schools to deliver a minimum amount of remote learning a day, overseen by school inspectors, there's no legal duty on schools in Wales to deliver a minimum amount of online teaching, and school inspectors are not overseeing this here. As reported today, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales not only described online education in Wales while...
