May I echo the words that have already been expressed in terms of thanking Sally Holland for her tenure over seven years? I think her parting lecture, as well, was food for thought for many of us, reflecting on the challenges that she believed still faced so many children and young people. I would also like to welcome the new children's commissioner, who has shown already in her role that she will follow in Sally's footsteps and prioritise the voices of the children and young people of Wales.

I think it shows in this report the value of having that key role of the commissioner to make sure that children and young people have that representation, but are offered those opportunities so that their own direct voices are heard. I think one of the things that I've reflected on, reading the report, was the fact that so many children and young people had participated—thousands and thousands of those voices heard and listened to—and also the training in terms of children's rights, of raising awareness and continuous awareness, because it's an ongoing challenge, of ensuring that we do respect and listen to the voices of children and young people. We've seen the value of that in our own work through the Senedd committees, and I think it's clear from the report the valuable role that the children's commissioner's office plays in providing evidence and challenging us as politicians on some of our decisions as well. Long may that continue, because it is important that that influences policy.

I think the one thing to reflect on in terms of some of the challenges and how we respond—I heard, Minister, obviously, you reference the UK levers and some of things that are not within our control, that we can't change, but if we focus specifically on the recommendations in the report around child poverty, obviously, something that was also championed over the seven-year term of Sally Holland as commissioner—. Many of us will remember that target of eradicating child poverty by 2020, and the subsequent scrapping of that in 2016. I would echo the children's commissioner's calls to make sure that we do have that plan in place. I think not having that specific plan with targets, so that we are able to measure progress, is something that's lacking at the moment, and it's quite astonishing that there is no specific action plan on tackling child poverty. We have a number of measures—things that we're incredibly proud of in Plaid Cymru that we've been able to secure, of course, through the co-operation agreement between both of our parties; things, as emphasised in the report, such as the extension of free school meals and the expansion of childcare. But we need to go beyond that, and I think, with everything that's coming in terms of the further cuts that we are going to see with local authorities and everything, there's a real risk that the situation is going to worsen if we don't have a plan to tackle it and also if we're not monitoring the impact of all our policies, and monitoring where we can make a difference, given that we know the pressures will increase.

The other area I'd just like to focus on is the section on home education and the specific recommendations there, saying that Welsh Government must also publish an evaluation plan for the implementation of new statutory guidance alongside that guidance. I'm sure the Minister will be aware of concerns that have been raised with many of us in terms of home education. Whilst Plaid Cymru have agreed with the intention of the proposals, which is to ensure that every child and young person in Wales is given a suitable education, we still believe that that guidance, or draft guidance at present, doesn't distinguish between those who have chosen to home educate their children and feel that they're going to be monitored or mistrusted, as opposed to those children who aren't currently receiving any kind of education. I think there are some things that are raised here as concerns that I would like the Welsh Government to be addressing.

But I think the one thing that is very clear here is that COVID impacts, as illustrated in the report, have been extensive on our children and young people and will continue to be so. The cost-of-living crisis will also disproportionately impact our children and young people. So, the point I would like to emphasise, whilst closing, Minister, is: please can we ensure that that child poverty action plan, as is championed by the children's commissioner and this report, is in place, so that we are able to make those changes that our children and young people so desperately need? Diolch.