Look out for each other, says Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas
For most of us the festive season is a happy time for families to gather around the Christmas tree. But for some of the more vulnerable people in our community – the children and older people who need care and support – Christmas can unfortunately be the hardest and loneliest time of year.
That is why it’s important that as a caring society we help support and keep an eye on these vulnerable groups not only during Christmas but throughout the year.
It’s also important that as an Assembly Government we help support vulnerable groups which is why we have made several One Wales commitments that echo this thinking.
Improving the lives of older people is one of the key aims of the Welsh Assembly Government. To reflect this commitment we will be shortly announcing in the new year the appointment of the first ever champion for older people.
The Commissioner for Older People will not only benefit older people but also sets a standard for other parts of the UK, Europe and the world to follow.
The Commissioner will ensure that the interests of older people in Wales, who are aged 60 or more, are safeguarded and promoted.
As an ambassador and authority on older people’s issues, the Commissioner will speak up on behalf of older people and help them to resolve problems when things go wrong.
We will make an announcement about the appointment of the Commissioner early in the new year.
I am delighted Wales is setting an example and that this adds to the work already started through the Welsh Assembly Government’s 10-year action plan to deal with things that matter most in the lives of older people in Wales.
Demographics are changing and by 2026 about 29% of people in Wales will be over 60 years old. This appointment will mean that older people are put at the centre of all policy making.
To complement the work of the Older People’s Commissioner we will shortly be announcing the appointment of the new Children’s Commissioner to make sure that the children and young people of Wales have a stronger voice.
To further strengthen the voice of children we sought extra powers over the summer to improve the welfare of children and young people in Wales.
Vulnerable children and tackling child poverty are central to the Assembly Government’s programme for children and young people.
Although we have made good progress in recent years, with poverty rates for children in Wales now below the UK average for the first time, we are not complacent. There are still some 28% of children in Wales living in poverty.
Assembly Government budgets have provided increased investment in children, especially in the early years and a lot has been done through our anti-poverty programmes like Cymorth and Communities First. This year will see the continued roll-out of Flying Start, which is targeted at the 0-3 age group in the most deprived communities in Wales . About £46m is being made available between 2006 and 2008 to support disadvantaged children in their early years, £15m in 2006-7 and £31m in 2007-8.
There are 4,800 children in local authority care in Wales and some 1,600 young people who have left care. The Assembly Government and local authorities, as corporate parents, have a unique responsibility to ensure that the experience of children in care is positive and they get the right opportunities and support so that when they leave care they have the right skills and confidence to allow them to live independent lives as responsible adults.
I am pleased that the Vulnerable Children and Child Poverty Legislative Competence Order (LCO) that we introduced over the summer aims to allow the Assembly to make a real improvement in their lives.
The LCO aims to empower the Assembly to implement changes in the law relating to the welfare of children and young people that could see free child care for two-year-olds in greatest need and top up payments to Child Trust Fund accounts of children in Wales, with more for those living in poverty.
We issued another LCO at the end of last month that sought further powers for the Assembly to secure a fairer deal for vulnerable people who need care in their homes across Wales.
The charging for home care and other non-residential social services is currently at the discretion of individual local authorities. This has resulted in significant variations in charging policies for similar services across Wales.
Under the current system weekly charges for a similar service can range from a maximum of £16.20 to £185.
This new LCO – Charging for Non-Residential Social Care (Domiciliary Care) – aims to enable the Assembly Government to legislate against such disparity and help produce a fairer and more consistent system to close the gap.
As the Deputy Minister for Social Services and Carers I’m proud to say how the Assembly Government places such an emphasis on the needs of vulnerable people in our community.
Having taken a brief look back at the year I’m confident that, although our work is far from done, we are certainly moving in the right direction.
But there is still more that we can do as a Government and that we can all do as individuals.
We could offer practical support, like writing Christmas cards or getting some shopping in, putting up decorations or even something as simple as dropping by with a neighbour regularly for a chat.
And if we have some time on our hands, we could always invite an elderly neighbour or relative around for a Christmas lunch in the week leading up to Christmas.
This will help make sure they have a good meal and company and you may find you make a friend.
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