May 2024
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This conference examined next steps for the children’s care system in Wales.
Discussion focused on the way forward for reform to services for children in care in Wales, including priorities for improving provision for care-experienced young people following the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s inquiry, looking at:
- reducing the number of young people entering care, and improving pre-care support
- improving services by addressing workforce concerns, increasing access to mental health support services and improving care system databases
- ongoing support for care leavers, pathways to housing, education and training
With the Welsh Government committing to a ‘children first’ approach, it was an opportunity to bring stakeholders together with policymakers to examine what this looks like in practice, and to discuss frameworks for enabling the involvement of children and young people in the development and implementation of policy.
Discussion also assessed the legal rights of young people in care, responsibilities of local authorities, and options for providing guidance for relevant public bodies and stakeholders to help identify and address data gaps related to care.
Further sessions looked at best practice and what can be learned from approaches taken in jurisdictions outside of Wales, as well as continued scoping for a National Care and Support Service, and how this might impact service provision for looked-after children in Wales.
We are pleased to have been able to include a keynote session with Gillian Baranski, Chief Inspector, Care Inspectorate Wales.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- Policy priorities: developing frameworks that apply to all sectors of the workforce - establishing legal rights for children in care - listening to the voices of care-experienced children
- National Care and Support Service: progress towards a support service - assessing its impact on the children’s care service
- Reducing the number of children entering the care system: enhancing preventative services and support for families - enabling nationwide access to early intervention
- Current state of care in Wales: evaluating the legal rights of children in care and the responsibilities of the state - the role of local authorities - priorities for care planning for children and young people in Wales
- Improving experience and outcomes: access to mental health and trauma support services for vulnerable and care-experienced children - improving educational attainment for children in care - identifying and reducing data gaps - next steps for tackling caseloads
- Workforce issues: improving workforce conditions, support and practices - training opportunities - establishing a workforce sufficiency plan - options for sector-wide employee rights and representation
- Supporting care leavers: next steps for protective measures and improving outcomes - increasing the legal age of support responsibilities - access to employment opportunities, and safe and adequate housing - transitioning to further education
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the Welsh Government; Cafcass Cymru; DfE; and DWP.
