Welsh Government rejects key recommendations of Senedd report

On 8 June, the Welsh Government published its hugely disappointing response to the Welsh Parliament Equalities and Social Justice Committee report on the extent of speech, language and communication needs amongst young people who have offended, or are at risk of offending in Wales.

The RCSLT have written to the Senedd Equality and Social Justice Committee to express our disappointment at the Welsh Government response and will be briefing Senedd Members ahead of the debate on the report on the 28 June (available to watch on Senedd TV). We have previously welcomed the report and its recommendations around prevention and support.

Head of RCSLT Wales Office, Pippa Cotterill says: “We are very disappointed to read the Welsh Government response to the strong report by the Senedd Equality and Social Justice Committee.

We are particularly concerned that the response rejects the two clear recommendations which would have ensured that young people with SLCN, who are over-represented within the justice estate, would have been able to access much-needed speech and language therapy support.”

We have consistently argued for support for the expansion of the profession based on the clear evidence base for that need to deliver support into newer areas such as justice.  Currently, Speech and Language Therapist commissioning numbers in Wales stand at 49 per year, as they have done since 2020.  This is despite the creation of a second undergraduate training course and significant increases in other healthcare courses to increase routes into the profession.  We urge Welsh Government to reconsider the number of future training places to ensure we are able to meet the needs of our most vulnerable young people.

Due to this and a further lack of clarity on how accepted recommendations will be delivered within the response (particularly for Recommendations 2 and 7), we are very disappointed with the Welsh Government’s overall response.

“As the case of youth justice reveals, there is an urgent need to improve workforce planning for Allied Health Professions and in particular speech and language therapy – a profession which cuts across education, social services, health and justice.  This is vital to ensure that future workforce projections meet demand,” says Pippa.

We hope the Welsh Government will reconsider its response to this important report and provide greater clarity on their decisions regarding the recommendations.

Llywodraeth Cymru’n gwrthod argymhellion allweddol mewn adroddiad Senedd

Mae’r adroddiad ‘60% – Rhoi llais iddyn nhw’ gan y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol yn amlygu nifer uchel y bobl ifanc ag anghenion cyfathrebu yn y system cyfiawnder troseddol ac yn cydnabod y gwahaniaeth mae rôl therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith yn ei wneud.

Ar 8 Mehefin, cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru ymateb hynod siomedig i adroddiad Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol y Senedd ar faint yr anghenion lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu ymhlith pobl ifanc sydd wedi troseddu, neu sydd mewn perygl o droseddu yng Nghymru.

Maer’r Coleg Brenhinol Therapyddion Lleferydd ac Iaith wedi ysgrifennu at Bwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol y Senedd i fynegi ein siom ynghylch ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru, a byddwn yn briffio Aelodau’r Senedd cyn y ddadl ar yr adroddiad ar 28 Mehefin.  Bydd y ddadl ar gael i’w gweld ar Senedd TV.  Roedden ni wedi croesawu’r adroddiad a’i hargymhellion ynghylch atal a chymorth.

Dywedodd Pennaeth Swyddfa Cymru’r Coleg, Pippa Cotterill:

“Rydyn ni’n siomedig iawn o ddarllen ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i adroddiad cadarn Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol y Senedd, ‘60% Rhoi llais iddyn nhw – Anghenion lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu yn y system cyfiawnder ieuenctid’.

Rydyn ni’n arbennig o bryderus bod yr ymateb yn gwrthod y ddau argymhelliad clir (3 a 6) fyddai wedi sicrhau y byddai pobl ifanc ag anghenion lleferydd, iaith a chyfathrebu, sy’n cael eu gor-gynrychioli yn yr ystâd cyfiawnder, wedi gallu cael mynediad at gymorth therapi lleferydd ac iaith mawr ei angen.

Yng Ngholeg Brenhinol y Therapyddion Lleferydd ac Iaith rydyn ni wedi dadlau’n gyson dros gomisiynu niferoedd uwch ar gyfer therapi lleferydd ac iaith o ystyried y sylfaen dystiolaeth glir ar gyfer ehangu’r proffesiwn i feysydd mwy newydd fel cyfiawnder.  Er hynny, mae niferoedd comisiynu yng Nghymru wedi aros ar 49 o 2020 i 2023, er gwaetha’r ffaith ein bod wedi gweld creu ail gwrs israddedig a chynnydd sylweddol mewn cyrsiau gofal iechyd eraill.  Galwn ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ailystyried nifer y llefydd hyfforddi ar gyfer y dyfodol er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gallu diwallu anghenion ein pobl ifanc fwyaf agored i niwed.

Rydyn ni’n pryderu hefyd bod diffyg eglurder ynghylch nifer o’r argymhellion mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi eu derbyn wrth ymateb (yn enwedig argymhellion 2 a 7).

Fel mae achos cyfiawnder ieuenctid yn ei ddangos, mae mawr angen gwella cynllunio gweithlu ar gyfer Proffesiynau Perthynol i Iechyd ac yn arbennig therapi lleferydd ac iaith – proffesiwn sy’n torri ar draws addysg, gwasanaethau cymdeithasol, iechyd a chyfiawnder.  Mae hyn yn hanfodol er mwyn sicrhau bod rhagamcanion gweithlu’r dyfodol yn bodloni’r galw.

Gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru, fel llywodraeth sydd wedi ymrwymo i Gymru fwy cyfartal, yn ailystyried ei hymateb i’r adroddiad pwysig yma ac yn rhoi mwy o eglurder ar y meysydd sy’n cael eu hamlinellu uchod.”