THE executive head of education at a state-of-the-art specialist school has been recognised for helping children “be themselves” while “creating lasting memories.”

Emma Thomas is at the helm at Orbis Education and Care’s Dan-y-Coed in Swansea, which caters for youngsters with autism and learning disabilities.

The 41-year-old runs a team of creative education, care and therapeutic professionals who help children to feel safe and respected, whilst providing bright and colourful child-friendly environments in which to learn, live and make friends.

It is her dedication over the last seven years that has earned her a place in the final of the major national competition – the 2024 Wales Care Awards, sponsored by Ontex Healthcare.

Emma’s aim is to help children simply be themselves, creating lasting memories of childhood as they develop into independent young people and adults.

The mum-of-two from Penclawdd is shortlisted for the Peter Clarke Award for Promoting Excellence in Services for Children and Young People, sponsored by Morgan LaRoche Solicitors.

The glittering presentation ceremony will be held on Friday, October 18 at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff and will be hosted by radio and TV presenter Jason Mohammad.

The awards are in association with Care Forum Wales, a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1993 to give independent care providers a single professional voice with which to speak on one of the most important issues of our time – how to provide better quality care for those who need it most.

It was Director of Education, Lucy Pottinger who nominated Emma for the accolade.

She said: “Emma has been working at Dan-y-Coed since it opened in 2017 and this year she has experienced the joy of seeing her very first pupil transition to a mainstream school full-time, which is an incredible achievement and demonstrates her strength and determination to help her pupils.

“Emma and her team devised a support plan to help him pursue his wish to go to mainstream school. Emma developed a strong team of learning support staff, teachers and clinical therapists, including a behaviour specialist, to help him gradually break down behavioural barriers and build trust with staff.

“She helped him understand that they would stick by him through tough times. Small classes with a bespoke curriculum unique to him proved invaluable and were the key to his success.”

Lucy added: “It is very rare for pupils to go from an independent specialist school to a mainstream placement and Emma should be proud of the progress her very first pupil has made.

“The fact she oversaw a team that has helped the young man fulfil his dream of going to a mainstream school deserves recognition.”

Emma said: “Being shortlisted for this award is a privilege. There are so many people across Wales who do outstanding work in our field, and I hope that I can represent them proudly. 

“We all have our own ‘why’ as to reasons we undertake the work that we do, and to be nominated, let alone be a finalist is extremely rewarding. Knowing that I have helped others in a way that has positively influenced their lives, and the lives of others close to them, is a feeling that you can never forget.”

Mario Kreft MBE, Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the aim of the Wales Care Awards is to recognise the unstinting and remarkable dedication of unsung heroes and heroines across Wales like Emma.

He said: “The care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job it’s a vocation – these are the people who really do have the X Factor.

“If you don’t recognise the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society.

“We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce – they deserve to be lauded and applauded.

“It is a pleasure to honour the contribution of all the finalists. Each and every one of them should be very proud of their achievement.”

THE Welsh Government says it has launched a consultation on plans to end a tax break for some fee-charging schools.

The move would withdraw charitable non-domestic rates relief from private schools from 1 April 2025.

The proposal seeks to bring independent schools with charitable status in line with other independent schools in Wales, for the purposes of non-domestic rates. In Wales, private schools are registered as independent schools.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “We believe that independent schools with charitable status in Wales should be treated in the same way as those which are not charities, which is why we are proposing removing this tax relief.

“It would bring Wales into line with Scotland and the UK Government is also planning to make similar changes in England.”

There are 83 independent schools registered in Wales; 17 receive charitable non-domestic rates relief worth around £1.3m every year. The funding released by ending this tax relief would be available to support local public services.

The consultation sets out the Welsh Government’s proposal and asks for views. It will run for 12 weeks from 23 September and responses are requested by 16 December 2024.

The consultation is available at: https://www.gov.wales/charitable-non-domestic-rates-relief-private-schools

WALES’ new finance secretary insisted inflation-busting pay rises for teachers, doctors and nurses will not lead to a reduction in spending on public services.

Mark Drakeford, who was named finance secretary last week, said the Welsh Government worked through the summer to ensure funding is in place to support pay awards.

He told the Senedd: “As a result of all that work, we are confident we can fund these awards without the need to reduce spending in these or other public services.”

In a statement on September 17, the ex-First Minister said teachers will receive 5.5% with an extra £5m to move additional learning needs co-ordinators to a leadership pay range.

He explained that doctors and nurses on ‘Agenda for Change’ terms will also receive 5.5% while NHS-employed doctors and dentists will receive 6%.

Prof Drakeford added that ministers have agreed an average 5% increase to the total pay bill for staff in the Welsh Government civil service and arm’s-length bodies.

He said: “Taken together, this means that over 180,000 public sector workers – from hospital cleaners to teachers and civil servants – will receive an above-inflation pay award this year.”

But the finance secretary, who previously held the role from 2016 until 2018 when he became First Minister, cautioned that the financial climate remains challenging.

“Difficult decisions will once again shape next year’s budget,” he said.

“However, making this decision now, giving certainty to public sector employers and, crucially, those who work in our public services, means that increases will be reflected in pay packets as soon as possible, and before the end of this year at the latest.”

The Welsh Government will publish its draft 2025/26 spending plans on December 10.

Peter Fox, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, welcomed some pay increases, saying they will go some way to improving retention rates in health and education.

But he raised concerns about public pay as a whole in his response to the statement.

Mr Fox, who represents Monmouth, said: “We must be careful that both this government and the one in Westminster do not lose control of public pay.

“The Labour government in Westminster has offered almost £10,000 pay rises to train drivers, who are already on more than £60,000 a year, while taking much-needed fuel payments from our pensioners.

“I’m glad that you are confident that, unlike your colleagues in Westminster, you do not feel as if you have to cut services for this round of pay rises. That’s welcome.

“However, as you indicate, there could be more public sector rises to come.

“With this in mind, what reassurances can you give the people of Wales that these future pay rises are not going to come at the expense of the most vulnerable people in society?”

His Plaid Cymru counterpart Heledd Fychan broadly welcomed the pay rises as she called for an update on local government staff who are not part of the latest settlement.

But she warned: “The fact that the Labour government in Westminster is as committed, it would appear, to austerity as their Conservative predecessors is deeply concerning.”

Ms Fychan said anything less than pay restoration to pre-austerity levels would point to empty promises in terms of the benefits of Labour governments at both ends of the M4.

The South Wales Central MS stressed that pay alone will not solve all the problems facing the workforce, nor resolve difficulties recruiting and retaining staff.

She said: “Although pay was a factor in the industrial action we have seen, it is important that we also acknowledge that staff have also decided to take action because of their concerns about working conditions.”

Carolyn Thomas, a Labour backbencher, who represents North Wales, welcomed the uplift in public sector pay, asking about the social care and childcare sectors.

Prof Drakeford pointed to Welsh Government funding to ensure social care workers are paid the real living wage and committed to working closely with councils on childcare.

He said: “There are other groups of workers in the public sector who we know do not get the recognition, both in public esteem and in pay, for the value of the work that they do.”

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths asked about people employed by charities, such as nurses in hospices who benchmark against public sector pay awards.

Prof Drakeford told the finance committee chair: “We recognise that deals that are set in the direct public service have knock-on implications for the third sector.

“We have a range of ways in which we are able to navigate that.”