School leaders’ union NAHT Cymru has urged the Welsh Government to rethink a decision to pull the plug on its funding for the Wales Police Schools Programme.

The programme, which is match-funded by the Welsh Government and the four police forces in Wales, sees police officers deliver lessons in schools around everything from safety and behaviour, to substance misuse - and NAHT Cymru says they have helped to support pupil attendance, which has suffered in the wake of the pandemic.

The officers have also supported the development of the health and wellbeing curriculum, and they help schools in dealing with incidents on-site.

However, NAHT Cymru has learned that from April the Welsh Government is to cut its £1.98m funding, which came from the health and social services budget.

National secretary, Laura Doel, has written to deputy minister for mental health and wellbeing, Lynne Neagle, and education minister Jeremy Miles, to express the union’s concerns.

The union’s call follows a Welsh Government press conference this morning, where Jeremy Miles reiterated that collaboration and tackling issues around attendance is a national priority for the government.

Ms Doel said: “It is unbelievable that the Welsh Government has made tackling attendance a national priority while pulling funding from a programme that is making a difference. If it’s a priority for this administration then all government departments need to be pulling in the same direction.

“The police liaison officers play a vital role in helping schools tackle pupil absence. They have also been a valuable resource in supporting the new Curriculum for Wales, promoting positive wellbeing and mental health, and breaking down barriers between police and communities.

“If the Welsh Government does not reconsider this decision - or find a way of working with the police for the programme to continue on the same scale - it will need to hold talks with schools about the impact of this decision, including on its national priority of improving school attendance.”

Ms Doel has also written to the four police commissioners and chief constables pledging NAHT Cymru’s support for the continuation of the service.