Written Assembly Questions tabled on 17 October 2017 for answer on 24 October 2017
R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.
W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
(Self-identifying question no. shown in brackets)
Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): When did the Welsh Government first formally commission the creation of input/output tables for the Welsh economy and what resources were committed to enable that activity? (WAQ74447)
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): What individuals were employed by the Welsh Government in the creation of input/output tables that cover the Welsh economy? (WAQ74448)
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Have the input/output tables that apply to the Welsh economy been published? (WAQ74449)
Answer received on 27 October 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): I will write to you as soon as possible and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Siân Gwenllian (Arfon): Are there any current legal barriers that prohibit the use of wild animals in circuses in Wales and will these barriers disappear in April 2018? (WAQ74441)W
Answer received on 27 October 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): I will write to you and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children
Hefin David (Caerphilly): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on plans to increase the number of foster carers in Wales? (WAQ74442)
Hefin David (Caerphilly): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on plans to improve the matching of looked-after children to appropriate foster care placements? (WAQ74443)
Hefin David (Caerphilly): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on plans to improve the training provided to foster carers in Wales, following the publication of the phase 2 report on the National Fostering Framework? (WAQ74445)
Hefin David (Caerphilly): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the progress made to improve the permanency of foster placements in Wales? (WAQ74446)
Answer received on 23 October 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): Work is well advanced to implement the National Fostering Framework for Wales over the next three years, building on the scoping and development work already undertaken. Implementation is being supported in 2017-18 by a grant of £400k from the Welsh Government, and agreement has been reached with the Welsh Local Government Association that this level of funding will be retained when the additional funding goes into the Revenue Support Grant in 2018-19. This shows a real commitment by the Welsh Government and its local government partners to implementation of the new framework.
A key objective of the National Fostering Framework is to increase the number of foster carers recruited by local authorities in Wales, and to ensure that they are properly trained and supported. The framework will enable greater regional collaboration, supported by a new performance management framework and a national approach to marketing. Individual local authorities, as corporate parents for the children they look after, will continue to be responsible for ensuring that suitable matches are made and that placements are stable and contribute towards permanency for the child.
Implementation of the National Fostering Framework is also being supported by the voluntary sector. The Welsh Government provides grant funding to The Fostering Network and the Association for Fostering and Adoption Cymru for three projects which aim to support and enable foster carers and those who work with them. The Fostering Excellence project is developing a national training programme for foster carers and AFA Cymru’s work is supporting professionals who work with foster carers.
The Fostering Wellbeing project is piloting social pedagogy within foster care settings in the Cwm Taf region. This project is delivering master classes which bring together health, social care and education professionals and foster carers for shared learning and development. The focus is around the wellbeing and learning of children, combining education and care, not just focusing on schooling but on social lifelong educational processes.
Hefin David (Caerphilly): What steps is the Cabinet Secretary taking to help local authorities and practitioners to identify cases of child neglect? (WAQ74444)
Answer received on 23 October 2017
Carl Sargeant: Guidance on Handling Individual Cases in relation to safeguarding under Part 7 of the Act, including cases of neglect, will be issued shortly.
In addition, my officials will work with the NSPCC and multi-agency partners to develop a new National Protocol on neglect, as part of ongoing work to review and develop the National Protection Procedures. This has been partly funded by the Welsh Government and is being taken forward by Cardiff and the Vale Safeguarding Board on behalf of ADSS Cymru.