Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:16 pm on 3 November 2021.
Diolch, acting Presiding Officer. I'll extend my thanks to Rhun for giving me this opportunity to talk this evening, but I think more importantly we should extend our thanks to Gareth, the young person who's brought this to you, because the bravery of Gareth to introduce this topic to you and bring it to our Senedd is certainly one that needs commending.
Members will know I do have concerns that mental health services in their entirety are not all they should be. I think it's often said that mental health services should have parity with physical health services, but I want us to start walking that walk now. Now, if services for young people are to get better, and I agree with a lot of what's been said already this evening, I would make the one comment: we have to hear more from front-line providers, from young people themselves, both those who are accessing the services and those who might not have yet, and may never need to. I think we need to hear off them also, and that goes to both the Government, us as individual Members, and perhaps our colleagues in the health committee, and it was great to see Jayne Bryant take interest in today's debate as the Chair of the children and young people's committee. Because I think it's the front-line providers, and, importantly, the young people who may need those services—that's who we need to listen to. I look forward to sharing Rhun's surveys, with Gareth's help with that, and I'd just urge the Minister to reflect on that, about what the Welsh Government can do to listen to those voices as well. Diolch.