11. What financial support is the Government offering to families that have children with severe health needs in light of the cost-of-living crisis? OQ59149

People with health needs have been severely affected by the crisis. Our 'Here to help' campaign is supporting people to access all the financial support that they are entitled to. Training for front-line workers is also helping support workers to signpost vulnerable people so they can receive the help that’s available.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. I was discussing during a recent visit to Tŷ Gobaith the pressures on families who have very poorly children, or children with very significant needs. They face challenges that most of us don't have to face all of the time, but of course the cost-of-living crisis has added hugely to the pressures on them. I'm thinking of the Gleave family near Amlwch, three children—Katie, Kelly and Mason. Obviously, the public purse pays for full-time staff to look after them, but the cost of heating for them, the cost of keeping the banks of machines that keep them on life support, is significant. I'm thinking of Pam and Mark and the challenges they face from day to day, just looking after the children. Now, there are families in the same situation in all parts of Wales. I plead on Welsh Government to look at what more can be done to give them the assistance to support their children properly—and if they weren't able to support them at home they would be in hospital, with the huge costs that that would entail for the public purse. So, it's an appeal for Government to look again at what it might be able to do to help them.

Thank you, and you clearly outline, as you say, that some families face difficulties and challenges that we just haven't had to in our lives, and they're very, very difficult. As you know, we've allocated £90 million for a second Welsh Government fuel support scheme—I do hope your constituents have been able to access that—and there are a variety of schemes that have been brought forward to try and help people facing a very uncertain time at the moment due to the cost-of-living crisis, and we continue to do all we can to support people. There's a discretionary assistance fund that maybe they would be able to access that perhaps they haven't done as yet. 

I thank the Trefnydd for answering questions on behalf of the First Minister.