What plans does the Welsh Government have for SchoolBeat going forward?
At present, the NHS in Wales and services in Wales are facing the toughest financial pressures in recent history. This means that I, along with other Ministers have had to take very difficult decisions about the Welsh Government’s commitments and priorities, with a focus on protecting front-line services in my area. Therefore, we have decided that the Welsh Government will be withdrawing its match funding for the Wales Police Schools Programme, which includes the SchoolBeat.
The landscape around wellbeing for learners on a range of important issues has changed significantly since the introduction of the programme. Many areas are now subject matter that would be considered in the Health and Well-being Area of learning; including substance misuse, online safety and domestic violence – all of which were traditionally covered by the WPSP.
Welsh Government officials will be working with a range of internal and external stakeholders to examine what existing or alternative provision and resources are available to ensure children are given relevant information to allow them to make informed decisions and keep them safe, this includes ongoing discussions with the police in relation to SchoolBeat.