Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd, and diolch, pawb. Thank you to all Members who have contributed to this debate on the children's commissioner's annual report. I'm very grateful for your continued support in keeping children's rights so high on the Welsh Government's agenda. So, thank you to Members from across the Chamber for your recognition of the work of Professor Sally Holland and the important role and influence that she had on children's rights during her term of office. And, thank you also for your welcome for the new children's commissioner, Rocio Cifuentes, and also recognising that it's her team as well, and the work that they've undertaken with the former children's commissioner. The words from the new one in the report indeed show the independence and strength of this office. An office, actually, I have to say that, way back, I was the Minister who actually appointed the first children's commissioner, and that came out of a recognition that we needed an independent Children's Commissioner for Wales, and that's what we've got.

So, thank you for all your comments, which are really helpful in terms of us reflecting on the recommendations—widespread recommendations across the whole of the Welsh Government. I can't answer all of the points in terms of all of the recommendations, but I'll focus on some that were raised most frequently. 

Can I thank the Chair of the Children, Young People, and Education Committee, Jayne Bryant, for reflecting on your expectations, your reflections of what you've hoped that the new children's commissioner could bring in her term of office as we move into very challenging times, but also the fact that you will also be engaging with the children's commissioner, as you did with the previous one, in terms of her annual report? Of course, the children's commissioner is someone who has an influence on all of us, in terms of Ministers but also on committees as well. 

Jane Dodds, it's so good, with your particular experience, but also being cross-party group chair of children and families and bringing that close understanding and experience to that role. As I've said, you've identified a number of important issues in the debate, particularly also focusing on the rising issues that we have to face, and, indeed, that the children's commissioner is reflecting on, with the cost-of-living crisis. We want to just restate as a Government that we understand the profound effects it's having and will continue to have on children and young people in Wales. It's vital that we support them and their rights, and do everything that we can in our power to support the children and young people of Wales. That does mean us taking responsibility as well as making it clear that we also call on those who have the powers and levers to take responsibility as well.

So, I think it's really important to recognise that the new children's commissioner is actually undertaking this large-scale engagement, the ambitions for Wales, as I've said, and, actually, over the last three months, engaged with over 11,000 children and young people, and engaged in a variety of different ways in terms of reaching out to young people and those who have often been under-served—young people, young disabled people, but also ensuring that there are differentiated versions, web links, and ways in which young people and children can engage, so that can inform their work.

Now, just looking at some of the points that have been raised by Members, in terms of the time I've got, support for young people leaving care—crucially important—is the responsibility of the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan, here with us today. And just to say, of course we remain committed to supporting care leavers to adulthood and independence, and we're building on the work already undertaken to improve outcomes for care-experienced young people. And this is crucially important in terms of the response that will come from the Welsh Government in terms of the recommendations, but particularly looking at those crucial issues, for example the commitment to provide care leavers with statutory entitlement to access a personal adviser up to the age of 25. These are commitments and, obviously, recommendations that will be responded to very clearly by the Welsh Government and by the Minister responsible. But, equally, that applies to care-experienced young people in the recommendations there, and strengthening public bodies' role as corporate parents, as has been raised, is a key commitment for this second term, and that work is also being taken forward.

But I think it is also important to look at the pioneering work that we are undertaking. The basic income pilot was mentioned for care leavers. That's the right space policy, which is going to offer young people regular, unconditional financial support, but with access to independent support, in terms of their participation. And can I just say that we're working very closely with leaving care teams from across Wales to better understand their role in the leaving care process? But it's very good to report to the Members that take-up for the pilot so far has been good, and we'll work with recipients of the basic income and other stakeholders to monitor progress of the pilot.

Whole-school mental health and well-being support—crucially important—with the recommendation, and the point about the recommendation is that it actually adds weight to the work that's already being progressed, and also looking at home education in terms of progressing work in this area and expecting, of course, proposals to be implemented. And this will be, of course, all responded to in the Government report.

I'm going to finally, of course, come to my area of responsibility, which, of course, stretches across the Welsh Government, which is tackling child poverty. It's such an important recommendation with us today, with all of the discussion and debate and contributions that have been made. And just to reassure Members that the consultation on the development of the Welsh Government’s new child poverty strategy is under way, taking into account the deepening cost-of-living crisis and its impact on those who are most in need. And it is important that we recognise—and I thank Peter for recognising—that the lack of response from the UK Government is not good, is it, in terms of the representations that have been made to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions? But I think I would like to say that I've already also written to the Secretary of State—the new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions—last week and asked for exactly the same things as the children's commissioner. I asked for the uprating of benefits in line with inflation, but also an end to the two-child limit, and an uplift to the universal credit of £25. This is where we can unite in support and welcome the fact that that strong message is coming through from the independent children's commissioner and coming through from this Senedd today and the Welsh Government.

So, finally, Deputy Llywydd, I'd like to thank Members for your contributions to today's debate, and our response will be published by the First Minister on 30 November. All the comments of the Members will feed into that response.