But, actually, what does that mean in practice and what is a whole-school approach? Teachers tell us that they are concerned about their students' mental health. They feel that they're being asked to deal with mental health issues outside their competencies as teachers, and they often feel unsupported by specialist services. There is a clear need for teachers to have help and support in responding to children experiencing difficulties such as anxiety, low mood and compulsive self-harm or conduct disorders.

But, it's also important, I think, that we must not medicalise the process of growing up. This is what young people themselves told us in the 2016 'Making Sense' report, compiled by and representing the views of young people. Almost 40 per cent in that survey cite that their teacher is a person whom they would prefer to seek support from. This theme was further developed in 'Mind over matter', which highlighted the important role of education in addressing the emotional and mental health needs of young people. And in particular, the needs of the so-called 'missing middle', young people with real emotional problems but who aren't necessarily mentally ill and who often find themselves with little support.

And that's why, as Jayne referred to, the Minister for Health and Social Services and I convened the joint ministerial task and finish group in September 2017. Experts from across the field of education and health have been gathered together to advise us on the work that we need to do to deliver a whole-school approach to emotional and mental well-being. Ensuring not just teachers but everyone who works in our schools are able to contribute positively to young people's well-being.

When I gave evidence to the committee in June, I indicated that I am committed to producing a framework that will support schools in developing and implementing consistent whole-school approaches, and it will provide guidance to schools on assessing their own well-being needs and strengths, and support them in developing a plan of action to address issues identified following assessment, backed by robust monitoring and evaluation arrangements. We will support schools in this work with a range of resources to help them promote mental well-being. 

I'm pleased to say that we're not starting with a blank sheet of paper. We have already, as we've heard from Members around this room, really good foundations on which we can build. For instance, as Jayne said, I know from my visit to Pill Primary School in Newport last year, more schools—more and more—are recognising nurture groups as a proven means to help young people at both primary and secondary phases. It helps them to develop trust and communication skills and improves their self-esteem. And they can be really effective when young people have experienced sudden severe trauma, when they are on the verge of becoming school refusers, and also as a support to parents and carers to build bridges with schools and education and to help engage them in their children's learning, when often they themselves have not necessarily had a positive experience of education when they were small.

Our schools' counselling services support over 11,500 young people annually, but I recognise there is still too much variation in waiting times for those services, and that's why the Minister for health and I have recently agreed additional funding to address some of the variation in provision, addressing long waiting lists and promoting collaborative arrangements across local authorities and health boards to improve provision. This funding forms part of a wider investment of £2.5 million this year to improve not just counselling provision, but also to train our school staff in their own and their students' emotional well-being, and to provide and to test both universal and targeted interventions in school.

On World Suicide Prevention Day, I was also very pleased to launch our new suicide and self-harm guidance, developed specifically to support teachers and professionals who regularly come into contact with young people. That guidance focuses on early intervention and the safe management of self-harm and suicidal thoughts when they arise. It provides a quick and accessible source of advice and good practice for practitioners. If Members have not yet had a chance to read those resources, I really would urge you to do so. I'm grateful for the professionals that have helped produce them. 

Our CAMHS school in-reach pilots are also showing real benefits since their launch, and I'm very pleased to announce that we have agreed extra funding to extend the pilots until December 2020 to coincide with the final evaluation report of that programme, and this has been backed by additional funding. The pilots demonstrate that developing those crucial relationships—and Jayne spoke about this a lot—across organisational boundaries is the key to delivering success. School staff report benefits in having a contact with whom they can discuss issues directly, and crucially in a timely fashion. This benefits not only young people but also teachers who feel better supported to address their children and young people's needs.

But I know—I very much know—that we can do so much more. I want to build on this momentum by further developing activity to support teachers so that they have a greater understanding of child development, especially during those crucial adolescent years, which can be really difficult for everybody, and the knowledge to learn and engage with emerging issues around emotional and mental well-being for learners. And, working with our universities, we will develop learning resources for student teachers and ensure that similar support is available to existing teachers.

It's also crucial to me that we continue to consult with young people themselves about what further support we should be providing to them. And that's why we have convened a youth stakeholder group, drawn from diverse geographical and social backgrounds, including mental health service users themselves. I have to say, I have been hugely impressed with their commitment to this process, their knowledge and their boundless enthusiasm. Together with the Welsh Youth Parliament, which has, as we've heard, agreed that emotional and mental health support should be one of their main issues, I'm sure that they, alongside Lynne Neagle, will continue to hold Welsh Government to account for our work in this area.

Like everyone here left in this Chamber this evening, I want every young person in Wales to flourish. I want them to learn and I want them to succeed, particularly in terms of the development of a whole-school approach to support those with emotional health and well-being issues. It's not an either/or, acting Presiding Officer, it's of equal importance, intrinsically linked to their ability to succeed in education. And I want, once again, to thank Jayne and colleagues for their contributions this evening. Diolch yn fawr.