Diolch, Llywydd. I’d like to congratulate Bethan on being selected to take forward a proposal for legislation and to offer my support to her proposals. In Wales, thousands of young people under the age of 16 are caring for relatives with little or no support from their school or from health authorities. Bethan’s legislation recognises the impact that caring responsibilities can have on a young carer’s education and I wholeheartedly support her efforts to ensure education services are flexible enough to maximise the education opportunities of young carers while supporting their caring responsibilities.

Research by the Carers Trust shows us that young carers miss, on average, a quarter of the school year. It is therefore no wonder that young carers have significantly lower attainment rates at GCSE. By encouraging schools and education authorities to recognise the time pressure faced by young carers we can ensure that they are given the necessary educational support and allowed to fulfil their potential. The Carers Trust young adult carers council found that a lack of support at school impacted the mental health of the young carer. These amazing young people give up so much to care for a loved one and the very least we can do is to ensure they don’t face additional barriers.

I will be supporting this legislation and I urge members to add their support to this important piece of legislation. Three in five of us will become carers at some point in our lives and unpaid carers save the NHS billions of pounds each year. Let’s do all we can to make it easier for carers—in this case, young carers—to carry on doing what they do. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr.