Thank you very much for those questions, and I’ll start on safeguarding. Carl Sargeant and I work really closely on all aspects where our portfolios do have crossover, and there are quite a few, particularly with regard to the Act. But on safeguarding particularly, I most recently met with Carl Sargeant last week to talk about safeguarding, particularly, actually, within the sporting field. We had some discussions on that, and also safeguarding children in the home environment, as well. So, we did have some regular contact and regular discussions on those issues.

I think the Act did take a big step forward in terms of safeguarding, especially with that duty to report, so if, as you know, a professional in various fields has a concern about a child, they have a duty to report to the local authority, and the local authority then has a duty to investigate. I think that is a huge step forward in terms of what we’re doing to safeguard children in Wales. You’ll know about the national independent safeguarding board as well, which takes a Wales-wide look at safeguarding issues and advises both myself and Carl Sargeant on the adequacy and effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements in Wales, and I had a very good meeting with them recently as well.

Our officials do meet regularly with the safeguarding board’s business unit managers to review progress as well. Volumes 1 to 4 of ‘Working Together to Safeguard People’ have been published, and they’re available on the Welsh Government website. Volumes 5 and 6 on handling individual cases are currently out to consultation, and that ends on 25 February.

I’ll have to write to the Member with the date in terms of the production of the child protection procedures, and the adult protection procedures for practitioners, because I can’t give you an exact date on that at the moment.

You mentioned several issues in terms of whether or not the Act is truly delivering for children. I was concerned when you said that you were aware of evidence of less support for children. So, I’d be really keen if we could share that information, because I’m really keen, at this very early point in the Act, to find out if there are any barriers or any unintended consequences that we can actually get on with and deal with now, rather than getting to a point where it becomes something that’s ingrained within the legislation. So, whenever issues are brought to my attention, either I or my officials will liaise with the appropriate authority to try and break down the barriers that we are finding in the early stages of the Act.

I know that we are hearing that the Act is making a real difference to many families, particularly those of looked-after children. I’ve been told that families who have been known to social services for quite some considerable time, both in and outside social services, have found that ‘What Matters’ conversation really empowering and refreshing. For the first time in a long time, apparently, some of the parents have really opened up about the family situation and have been much more open to receiving support for the family as well. I think that it’s having remarkably better outcomes for those families, and that’s certainly what the Act is designed to do.

Part 6 also sets the framework for improving outcomes for looked-after children and young people at the edge of care, and it seeks to safeguard and promote the well-being of looked-after children as well, and make sure that they’re able to achieve their personal outcomes. So, those aspirations are very much the same as the aspirations that we have for adults under the Act as well. The Act also has a real focus on diverting children from care in the first place and putting support in place so that families can stay together when it’s in the best interest of the child to do so.

Another feature of the Act that is consistent across adults and children is the individual’s voice being at the centre. It’s so important to listen to children in terms of what kind of well-being outcomes they want to achieve. They need to have advocacy, and we had a debate, just yesterday, on the importance of advocacy and taking a national approach, as well, so I think we’re taking good steps in terms of advocacy.

It’s important to us that looked-after children have the same life chances as any other child, and that’s got to be a priority for all of us across Government, which is why I’m really glad that Carl Sargeant has asked David Melding to chair the improving outcomes for children ministerial advisory group, and I know that that group is taking forward quite a challenging programme as well. But I would say that, at this early stage within the Act, if there are issues that you or any other Member are aware of that might be unintended consequences or barriers to the Act fulfilling its potential, then please let us know and we’ll work together to find solutions.