Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 1:49 pm on 13 December 2017.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 1:49, 13 December 2017

Well, Michelle, let's be absolutely clear: children who are care experienced at present do not achieve the qualifications in the numbers that I would like for them to do so. There has been significant progress in recent years with the number of looked-after children leaving school with five good GCSEs, but we have a significant way to go to ensure that all those children reach their potential.

The Member asks about ring-fenced resources. The pupil development grant is ring-fenced. It is a set amount of money that is passed to the regional consortia to support schools in a variety of techniques—whatever is best for those children in those particular schools.

The Welsh Government is also working across departments, with my colleague Huw Irranca-Davies, to fund the adverse childhood experiences hub and ACEs network. We know that many looked-after children, by the fact that they are in care, have suffered adverse childhood experiences, which can negatively impact on their education. The ACEs hub is there to support schools to look at a variety of interventions that can best support those children who are care experienced.