Written question WQ89401

The Welsh Government has provided Public Health Wales (PHW) with £670,000 in the current year to support implementation of the statutory Framework. This has enabled PHW to recruit seven (whole time equivalent) implementation coordinators, embedded within the Welsh Network of Health School Schemes.

Progress to embed the Framework across maintained schools in Wales continues to improve, particularly among schools with secondary-aged learners. However, continued focus is being placed on increasing the proportion of schools with strategic action plans routinely embedded within their School Development Plans (SDPs). As at the end of July 2023 52% of schools (48% primary, 73% secondary and 73% special schools/PRUs) had undertaken the self-evaluation process, whilst 28% (24% primary, 46% secondary and 47% special/PRUs) had action plans in place.

The Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing and I met with PHW in September and highlighted the need to focus on embedding activity at pace. PHW have set a target that 80% of schools with secondary learners have identified actions within their SDPs by March 2024, increasing to at least 90% by March 2025.

In the summer we conducted a survey which explored the progress of schools and education settings in developing their whole school approaches and their use of available resources to achieve this. The survey invited members of senior management and leadership teams, and/or health and well-being lead staff from schools and education settings to respond. This included maintained nursery, primary, secondary, middle, and special schools including pupil referral units. We intend to formally publish the results in November as a Government Social Research Bulletin. In addition, pending budgetary agreement, we also intend to undertake some follow-up work in the form of interviews and/or focus group work with respondents to further consider some of the issues raised in the survey.