Health and Social Care Students

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:54 pm on 2 March 2022.

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Photo of Jack Sargeant Jack Sargeant Labour 2:54, 2 March 2022

I'm grateful to the Minister for that answer. The coronavirus pandemic has shown us all just how important and key social workers are, and if we are to encourage people into the social work profession I think we need a parity of bursary with the NHS bursary you mentioned. People who look to go through this training are often older and they're often from a very diverse background. I had the pleasure of meeting a few of those this afternoon, and they really do need this bursary. Minister, you'll be aware of a petition currently going through the Senedd committee's process, and that calls for removing all barriers to entering the profession and it calls for a parity of the bursary and a parity of esteem in that offer. Can you commit to that parity of bursary and, if so, when?