Terms of reference

The Welsh Government has established a Joint Ministerial Task and Finish (T&F) Group to take forward the whole school approach to emotional and mental well-being, as part of a whole system approach which also recognises the wider impact of physical well-being.  In achieving this, the T&F Group will have regard to the recommendations and findings in the Children, Young People and Education Committee Mind Over Matter report (April 2018).  The T&F Group will be supported by a stakeholder reference group.

Purpose

The purpose of this stakeholder reference group is:

• to support the work of the T&F Group by providing expert input and acting as a sounding board to the T&F Group as the whole school approach work programme is developed and implemented.
• to act as a conduit between the T&F Group, local authorities, local health boards and the third sector to help identify and agree strategic and operational approaches that can be support the whole school approach.
• to consider practical solutions and provide advice and recommendations to the Welsh Government to support the programme of work.

Work carried out by this group will be congruous with the principles underpinning the work of the whole school and whole system approach:

• Support must be both universal and targeted.
• Support must be appropriate, timely and effective.
• Support must focus on prevention, restorative practice and on effective and timely intervention when this is needed.
• Support should avoid the medicalisation of children, and centre the needs and the wishes of the children and young people involved. 

Group Membership and Structure

The Group will meet at least 3 times a year, following the same schedule as the T&F group. If necessary, it may meet more often to take forward specific actions or pieces of work. Subcommittees may be formed with agreement of the whole group, to take forward discrete pieces of work on an ad hoc basis. The Group is time-limited and will run until the end of this Assembly term (May 2021).

It will be chaired by Ruth Conway, Deputy Director – Support for Learners Division, Welsh Government. Secretariat support will be provided by the Welsh Government.

Input outside of meetings

Outside of meetings, engagement will be undertaken and input provided electronically by the Group. A wider pool of stakeholders may be consulted electronically and have their views fed back to the Group for consideration when appropriate.

Youth stakeholder reference group

The Group exists alongside the Youth Stakeholder Reference Group, which will meet on the same timetable and consider a similar agenda. The note from Youth Stakeholder Reference Group meetings will be made available to members of this Group on request.

Confidentiality

Members of the Group are encouraged to utilise the organisation or sector they represent and seek their feedback on matters of policy and practice to inform and support the whole school approach.

However, you will be expected to treat information obtained through the Stakeholder Reference Group in confidence and share only on a restricted basis.

The Secretariat will inform members of the Group of any confidential information that can not be shared outside of the Group.