Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:05 pm on 21 September 2021.
I must also declare an interest: I'm a community councillor in Penyrheol, Trecenydd and Energlyn.
I want to highlight the reduced day-care provision for disabled adults in Caerphilly County Borough. For some, hours have been reduced from 30 hours a week to just six, an 80 per cent reduction in support that has been devastatingly detrimental for disabled adults and their families. The Plaid Cymru group on the council have now called for a moratorium on these changes. A few days ago, I spoke to a father who is having to consider putting his son into residential care as he and his wife can no longer cope. Not only would this be harrowing for all concerned, but it would end up costing the local authority significantly more than if they kept the full-time day-care provision growing.
First Minister, is there guidance that your Government can issue to local authorities in order to ensure that disabled adults and their families get the support and respite they deserve, that they need, and that is right for them? Is anyone in Government monitoring whether local authorities are fulfilling their statutory obligation concerning disabled people and whether adequate funding is in place for them to do so? Diolch.