3. Will the Minister make a statement on additional learning needs support in Montgomeryshire? OQ59246

Through the ongoing implementation of the ALN reforms, children with additional learning needs in Montgomeryshire will be listened to and receive the support they need in their education.

Thank you for your answer, Minister, and, of course, I heard your answer to Laura Anne Jones on this earlier on as well. Through casework, an issue that I'm picking up is that there appear to be some children with potential additional learning needs when they relocate from England into Wales, and there are some difficulties in regard to delayed assessments, which, of course, are required in order for them to receive the support they need for their education. Clearly, that is detrimental to the child when that occurs. So, can I ask what the Welsh Government is doing to help and support local authorities to provide a smooth transition for ALN assessment to ensure that a child receives ALN support in a timely manner, but also that there's parity of funding as well? So, my particular issue is concern around when an assessment may start in England, and then a child in the middle of that process is moving into Wales, to ensure that there's support for local authorities in that process.

I thank Russell George for that question. It's an important question and he's—. It's a constructive issue to raise, so I thank him very much for that. We have issued guidance and continue to issue guidance that deals with some of the aspects that he's raised in his question, but I will speak to officials to make sure that we are clear that all the cross-border working that needs to be happening is taking place. He is making an important point about where an assessment begins, if you like, in one jurisdiction, but then is carried over into ours here. So, I'll write further to him in relation to the latest discussions on cross-border engagement.