Senedd debate- young people with disabilities

Responding to Equal Opportunities Committee Report on Service Provision for young people with disabilities.

Bethan Jenkins: Thank you for the report. I just wanted to mention that Stephen Dyer, Amy Barrett and Daniel Beynon, members of the reference group that helped to shape today’s report, are present here today, and they want a reassurance from the Minister that the voices of young people, especially young disabled people, will continue to be heard. Disabled children must have the same access to services as other children in Wales have. Lots of disabled people are now involved in organisations such as Funky Dragon, but I believe that such organisations should carry more weight in political decision-making. I would like to echo their representations and ensure that their voices are heard strongly and clearly today.


Jane Hutt: You are very much a champion for young people, and I welcome them here today. We had a robust and challenging session with Funky Dragon on Thursday, and many Assembly Members—and, most importantly, Ministers—were put on the spot and questioned and scrutinised. I was pleased that we were able to find funding last year, when Jane Davidson was the Minister for education, to support the network of young disabled people in Wales, which had done some pioneering work following the big international conference that it organised in Swansea. Young disabled people will steer us through the conference later this week, and will certainly be at the forefront of scrutiny, challenging how the Government responds to this important report. Diolch yn fawr.

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Bethan Jenkins: Diolch ichi am yr adroddiad. Yr oeddwn am ddweud bod Stephen Dyer, Amy Barrett a Daniel Beynon, aelodau o’r grŵp cyfeirio a roddodd help imi lunio’r adroddiad hwn heddiw, yma heddiw, ac maent am gael sicrwydd gan y Gweinidog y bydd llais pobl ifanc, yn arbennig pobl ifanc anabl, yn parhau i gael ei glywed. Rhaid i blant anabl gael yr un mynediad i wasanaethau â phlant eraill yng Nghymru. Mae llawer o bobl anabl yn ymwneud â sefydliadau fel y Ddraig Ffynci erbyn hyn, ond credaf y dylai sefydliadau o’r fath gael mwy o ddylanwad ar benderfyniadau gwleidyddol. Hoffwn ategu eu sylwadau a sicrhau bod eu lleisiau’n cael eu clywed yn gryf ac yn glir yma heddiw.


Jane Hutt: Yr ydych yn sicr yn lladmerydd o blaid pobl ifanc, ac fe’u croesawaf yma heddiw. Cawsom sesiwn rymus a heriol gyda’r Ddraig Ffynci ddydd Iau, a rhoddwyd sawl Aelod o’r Cynulliad—ac, yn bwysicach na hynny, Weinidogion—mewn picil a chawsant eu holi a’u rhoi drwy broses graffu. Yr oeddwn yn falch ein bod wedi llwyddo i ddod i hyd i arian y llynedd, pan oedd Jane Davidson yn Weinidog dros addysg, i gefnogi’r rhwydwaith o bobl ifanc anabl yng Nghymru, a oedd wedi gwneud gwaith arloesol yn dilyn y gynhadledd ryngwladol fawr a drefnodd yn Abertawe. Bydd pobl ifanc anabl yn ein tywys drwy’r gynhadledd yn ddiweddarach yr wythnos hon, a byddant yn sicr ar flaen y gad o ran y broses graffu, gan herio’r ffordd y mae’r Llywodraeth yn ymateb i’r adroddiad pwysig hwn. Diolch yn fawr.