Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:30 pm on 15 June 2022.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, and good afternoon, Deputy Minister. Last week, the First Minister told this Chamber that there was no need for an independent inquiry into children’s social services in Wales, despite similar inquiries taking place in the other UK home nations and despite calls from many of the experts in the sector. The First Minister pointed to the wealth of advice and reports received by your Government, such as the 2018 'Care Crisis Review' and the 2019 'Born into care: newborns and infants in care proceedings in Wales' report by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory. The First Minister said you didn't need any more advice. Could you therefore explain why in 2022 two experts in the field are saying that children’s social care in Wales is in a crisis and are calling for a independent review?