As, this year, the celebration aligns with the seventieth anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights, I would like to take this opportunity to update Assembly Members on the work that Welsh Government is taking forward to place human rights at the heart of Welsh public services, and to make Wales the best place in the world to grow old. Growing older should not erode an individual’s human rights. Wales has a long history of working with and for older people, from the introduction of the first strategy for older people in Wales in 2003 to establishing the world’s first older people’s commissioner in 2008, and this commitment to improving lives for older people continues today.

Earlier this year, we started a new programme of work to reinvigorate our focus on older people’s issues. We are working closely with the older people’s commissioner and with older people directly and their representatives to co-produce a framework for an ageing society. A key strand of this work aims to make rights real for older people, and we've established a stakeholder group; we've convened to consider the steps needed to achieve this very aim. Raising awareness of human rights can empower older people to play an active role in ensuring the care that they receive upholds their fundamental right to be treated with dignity and with respect. However, we must also raise awareness of human rights among the public bodies and the organisations that work with older people every day.

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 came into force in April 2016. The Act provides the legal framework for improving the well-being of people who need care and support, and it requires local authorities to have due regard to the United Nations principles for older persons. Simply referencing the principles is not enough; 'due regard' means that local authorities must actively consider how the duties impact on the decisions they make every day. Hence independent advocacy services, for example, can give a voice to people, helping to ensure that their views, their wishes, are represented when making choices about their own lives. They are important for supporting people to engage actively and to participate in the development of their own well-being outcomes. And advocacy for all persons is embedded within the SSWB Act 2014. My officials have been working with a technical stakeholder group to set the standards for children and for adult services through the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, which we know as 'RISCA'. We're also updating the Part 10 code of practice on advocacy, to provide practical guidance on how rights can be made real for older people accessing advocacy. 

One of the five themes of the United Nations principles for older persons is independence. The integrated care fund, the ICF, promotes a human rights-based approach, by supporting older people to maintain their independence and continue to be part of their community. So, for example, the acute response team—the ART—based at the Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli provides a 24-hour rapid response service for frail older people who would otherwise require admission to hospital. The team work in partnership with a range of other ICF initiatives to facilitate integrated and person-centred care for individuals in their own homes. This allows them to remain within their communities and to continue in their day-to-day lives without the interruptions of visiting hospitals for treatment and to experience better health outcomes as a result.

Participation is also a theme within the UN principles. I recognise that Government must ensure that the infrastructure is in place to support people to remain active and engaged. So, local transport services, community facilities such as public toilets, and places to meet make a tangible difference to the lives of older people. They are integral to creating vibrant and cohesive communities. And reducing levels of loneliness and social isolation among people of all ages is a key priority for Welsh Government. In 'Taking Wales Forward 2016-2021', we confirmed our commitment to developing a nationwide, cross-Government strategy to tackle these issues by March 2019. And funding of £750,000 in 2018-19 and in 2019-20 has been agreed to develop this cross-Government approach.

The current public debate about loneliness and its impact on both physical and mental health strikes to the very core of our society. It questions how we care for and support each other. For those of us growing older, the loneliness debate can sharpen our focus on how we will spend our time when we stop working. People of all ages should be encouraged to plan for their future, not just financially, but to consider the social networks they will need to age well. We should all question what we will expect our communities to offer us in later life and how we can start building those communities right now. By volunteering, caring for loved ones or by being a valued member of their local community, older people, let's be clear, form the backbone of our society. As Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, I will play an active role in combatting ageist and corrosive stereotypes of older people. If we continue to view old age negatively, we will not be successful in creating a society that supports all older people to enjoy a life that has value, and meaning, and purpose.