The Welsh Government is committed to making Wales a nurturing place for children and young people to grow up in and it has launched many initiatives as part of its Children and Young People Plan – most recently eliminating profits from children in the care sector and trialling a basic income system for care leavers. Now, the government has launched a consultation on proposed changes to improve adoption, fostering and kinship services in Wales – it takes special people to provide fostering services to a young person and families who take in children in this way need to be supported and the children involved need to be protected.

The proposed regulatory changes being considered are a key component of the radical whole-system change the government is seeking to make and are in direct response to feedback from members of the children’s social services sector about how to improve support for vulnerable children and their families across Wales. If you’re involved with looked-after children, fostering or adoption, you can give your views at www.gov.wales/improving-adoption-fostering-and-kinship-services.

The summer break is a good chance for me to get out and about in the constituency and last week I was able to do one of my street surgeries, this time in Gwernaffield. I really welcome the opportunity to reach out to different parts of the constituency and for people to raise any issues with me from their own areas – it’s always good to meet people and hear about the things they care about. At the weekend, I also had the opportunity to drop in to Mold’s Community Clubhouse and Gardens for the organisation’s summer fun day and to help celebrate its 20^th year and see the incredible work that’s gone into making the community centre on Park Avenue such an important part of Mold’s community life.

Regular readers will know how passionate I am about our towns and the part they play in our lives, our futures and our nation’s heritage. That’s why I was pleased to hear that the Welsh Government has allocated an additional £17m for the next year to help local authorities deliver regeneration projects that will transform town and city centres as part of the Transforming Towns initiative – an initiative I played my part in establishing as a minister that’s seen a significant amount of investment across the country and nearly £5.5m alone in Flintshire and Denbighshire. This investment will create jobs, boost economic activity and breathe new life into high streets and town centres – and this is so important for our communities in North East Wales.

Last week saw students from across Flintshire get their A-Level results – and this week it’s the turn of GCSE students, so it’s a good time to wish pob lwc to any young people waiting for their grades. After all your hard work, I hope you get the results you need to continue on your own paths as you embark on the next phase of your education or training. If you’re uncertain of where to head next, remember there are people out there to offer you support and guidance – feel free to get in touch with me and I will signpost you to organisations that can help, you can contact me by email on hannah.blythyn@senedd.wales or by phone on 01352 753464 or message me through social media.

You might be interested in a job fair in Flint on September 18 between 3pm and 6:30pm at Flint Town Hall. The fair is organised by Flint Town Council in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, so if you’re job-hunting or just exploring options, this free event could be informative – there is no registration needed, it’s free and open to all. Jobseekers can meet with a range of local employers, learn about job openings and discover training options that could help them take the next step in their career journey – the town council is also on the lookout for more employers currently recruiting to join the fair. To find out more or to book a stand, contact Flint Town Hall on 01352 734414 or email townclerk@flinttowncouncil.gov.wales.

Finally, I was shocked and incredibly saddened by the news last week of the death of my colleague Hefin David. I entered the Senedd with Hefin as part of the class of 2016 and worked with him on committees and on other matters we were both committed to. My thoughts are very much with those closest to him at this distressing time and to those who he served with dedication.

As always, if you would like advice and/or support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on any of the following contact details – 52 High Street, Mold, Flintshire, on 01352 753464 or by email hannah.blythyn@senedd.wales. You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – www.facebook.com/HannahBlythyn. Constituents are, of course, welcome to contact my office to arrange an appointment to see me, you don’t need to wait for an advice surgery.