A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet amlinellu pa gynnydd sydd wedi’i wneud ar gynnwys gwybodaeth am sgiliau ieithyddol aelodau’r gweithlu gofal ar Gofrestr Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru, ymhellach i’r Asesiad o Effaith ar y Gymraeg – Deddf Rheoleiddio ac Arolygu Gofal Cymdeithasol (Cymru) 2016 – Rheoliadau’r gweithlu?
The 2017 registration data reports produced by Social Care Wales (SCW) in relation to the four social care workforce groups currently registered in Wales (Adult Care Home Managers, Domiciliary Care Managers, Social Workers and Residential Child Care Workers and Managers) show that the percentage of workers providing information about their Welsh language ability has increased since 2016. Across the same period the reports show that for each of these groups the percentage reporting they were either fluent or had some Welsh increased, whilst the percentage reporting they did not speak any Welsh decreased.
Further data on the Welsh language ability of the social care workforce will become available as news groups are added to the register under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (the 2016 Act). From April 2018 domiciliary care workers have been able to register on a voluntary with SCW ahead of mandatory registration from 2020, whilst adult residential care workers will be able to register from 2020 ahead of mandatory registration from 2022.
This has also been addressed through other regulations made under the 2016 Act. The Regulated Services (Annual Returns) (Wales) Regulations 2017 require providers to detail any languages used in providing their service as part of the provider’s annual return. The Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017 place requirements on providers to take reasonable steps to meet the language needs of individuals. The accompanying statutory guidance makes it clear that this means providers should deliver, or work towards actively offering, a service in the Welsh language to individuals whose first language is Welsh.