8. How is the Welsh Government supporting learners with healthcare needs? OAQ(5)0115(EDU)

On 30 March, the Welsh Government published revised guidance to support learners with both short-term and long-term healthcare needs. The guidance is statutory for governing bodies of all maintained schools, pupil referral units, and local authorities. It sets out clear expectations about how these learners should be supported.

How do you respond to concern expressed by Diabetes UK and their partners that the guidance, although welcome, doesn’t go far enough in clarifying the situation, that although there are several references or statements that will result in long-term medical conditions being under the additional learning needs framework, the Welsh Government still doesn’t support the amendment of the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill and code to reflect this, that the document still doesn’t guarantee any support and makes it very clear that the provision of support is voluntary, and that basic requirements, such as having an individual plan in place, are not guaranteed by the guidance?

The Member’s wrong, of course, in his suggestion that the Government will not support any amendments to this Bill. We’ve not reached the stage of consideration of any amendments to this Bill at this point. In fact, we haven’t reached the end of Stage 1 consideration of this Bill. I’ve been very impressed by the hard work of the committee, ably led by my good friend, the Member for Torfaen, who has looked at these matters in great detail. The statutory guidance to which the Member refers has been subjected to specific scrutiny from this committee. I look forward to hearing what the conclusions of that scrutiny are, and I will certainly respond to the committee’s report on this matter, and I’m very open to giving full and due consideration to all suggestions and proposals that will come from the committee at the appropriate stage, Stage 2, when we reach that stage in June.

Finally, question 9, Dai Lloyd.