What discussions has the Minister had with Children's Commissioner for Wales following the the Commissioner's report finding that children staying in hospitals in Wales are not getting as much of an education as those in England?
All children have the right to a full education, regardless of their circumstances. This includes children who are in hospital.
I will be consulting on education other than at school (EOTAS) referral and commissioning guidance next year. The guidance will set out the statutory duties placed on local authorities to provide EOTAS for children who, for whatever reason cannot attend school. My officials will be engaging with a range of stakeholders, including officers from the Commissioner’s office in developing this guidance.
We will monitor the implementation of the guidance and will commission research to evaluate how effectively the framework has been implemented.
I will shortly be responding formally to the recommendations made in the Children’s Commissioner for Wales spotlight report and will also discuss the findings and recommendations with the Commissioner during one of our regular meetings.