Thank you, acting Llywydd. May I thank Jenny Rathbone for putting forward this short debate? Every child and young person has the right to receive an education that inspires them and prepares them to fulfil their potential in a safe and supportive environment. I want to be clear that the decision to exclude a learner should only be taken when everything else has failed, that is, that the school accepts that all the strategies available to them to support that young person have failed. 

To decrease the number of exclusions, it's vital to understand why children are having difficulties at school that could cause behaviour that leads to their exclusion. We are already supporting schools in this regard through our work to tackle adverse childhood experiences and through the implementation of the additional learning needs legislation and by providing the right support and provision. And we've funded this to the tune of £67 million to date, and in addition we commit to invest £21 million a year until 2025.

The Welsh Government expects schools to work jointly with local authorities to find another school or setting if a pupil continues to have difficulties in the original school despite all efforts to support them. Our guidance on exclusion notes clearly that the Welsh Government isn't of the view that it is appropriate for schools to commission external provision to deal with issues related to behaviour, for example, home tutoring for those who refuse to attend school. When decisions have been made to exclude a pupil, priority must be given to ensuring the best outcome for that young person that means that they can enjoy their right to receive an education. 

Although it's true to say that not all cases of misbehaviour are the sign of an unmet need, we have to be willing to accept what the behaviour of the pupil does convey to us. So, schools have to investigate the fundamental factors that could contribute to poor behaviour, such as learning disabilities and mental health issues, such as trauma. These need to be tackled to ensure that these issues do not deteriorate to such an extent that exclusion is the only answer.