Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:59 pm on 15 May 2019.
The information that we have is that every council will adopt it, and will want to adopt it. And we're starting off on that assumption, because I do think it is better for us to work together in partnership with local authorities, and I have every confidence that they will do it. And in any case, the important work of developing the detail of how the ID card is implemented cannot really be legislated for. Just to give you one example, one young carer told us recently that he takes his disabled brother to the swimming pool and has been told off for being the wrong age for the slides. If he had a wristband, rather than a card, he could signal his need to accompany his brother. This kind of nuance could not possibly be covered in a legal duty. Were we to delay introducing the planned ID card so as to introduce legislation, I think young carers would feel very let down, because there has been considerable engagement with young carers about the ID card. But I will say that if, at any point in the future, there is evidence that there is a need to have legislation, we will certainly review the decision that we made today. But, at the moment, I don't see any reason to have legislation.
The motion also asks the Welsh Government to increase awareness and promote the well-being of carers. As the Minister, I will ensure we monitor the effectiveness of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014. We have supported the third sector to improve awareness by awarding funding of over £1.7 million from our sustainable social services grant scheme to Carers Wales and to the Carers Trust Wales, and we continue to fund the Young Carers Network.
The motion also asks for help for young carers in accessing post-16 education, including through a concessionary travel scheme. So, as we look at the future of the existing youth discounted card scheme and the wider plans we have for fares and integrated ticketing across the network, we will, of course, look at the needs of young carers very carefully.
Then, to consider Rhun's amendment, we agree that respite is very important, so that young carers can have a break from caring, and we hope that we will look at respite perhaps in many different ways to those we have done in the past, but the Government certainly supports this amendment.
So, I want to reiterate that this is a very important debate. No-one in our community should be left behind, and young adult carers are an inspiration to the rest of us. I think nearly everybody who spoke today did really inspire us with what they said about young carers, because they are leading and showing us how to care for our families and our communities. So, I applaud them, and I'm very pleased to state my support for Carers Week, as others have done, in the second week of June, and we want to celebrate all carers here in Wales.
In November 2017, we published our three national priorities: supporting life alongside caring—it's so important for young adult carers that they have a life of their own; identifying and recognising carers, which I hope the carers ID card will help bring about; and providing information, advice and assistance to carers. Deputy Presiding Officer, we are making inroads to delivering on these priorities, but we do have a long way to go. I know we can't be complacent, and I think the debate today has helped us realise what we have to do. Thank you.