4. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:54 pm on 12 November 2019.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 2:54, 12 November 2019

The Welsh Government recognises the importance of supporting those children with special educational needs within Welsh-medium education. The SEN code of practice for Wales makes it clear that local authorities are under a legal duty to have regard to meeting the needs of SEN pupils in accordance with parental preferences, and that includes the preference for Welsh-medium education. The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 aims to create a bilingual system of support for learners with ALN. Under the new ALN system, local authorities and education settings will be required to consider whether additional learning provision should be provided to the child or to the young person in Welsh, and where a learner has need for that provision in Welsh, it must be specified in the individual development plan and the body must then take all reasonable steps to ensure that the support is provided in Welsh. But I will ask the education Minister to provide you with a more detailed update in terms of the particular questions that you asked about potential barriers to ensuring that young people are getting this kind of support.