Written question WQ98881

The Welsh Government is taking a range of actions to address the lack of placement sufficiency which can result in children being placed in care at crisis points, including unplanned moves at short notice. At the core of the response is a strategic focus on improving placement sufficiency across Wales. This includes working in partnership with local authorities to strengthen planning and forecasting of demand for care placements. By improving data collection and analysis, the Government is supporting authorities to better anticipate children’s needs and ensure that appropriate placements are available in advance, rather than relying on emergency arrangements.

A key area of intervention is investment in expanding the availability of local, high‑quality placements. This includes supporting the development of foster care capacity and encouraging the growth of provision that enables children to remain closer to their home communities. Increasing local capacity reduces the likelihood of children being moved at short notice or placed far from their support networks. Alongside this, we driving forward reforms linked to the “eliminating profit” agenda in children’s social care. This programme is intended to rebalance the market, reduce reliance on private providers where supply may be unstable or costly, and place greater emphasis on not‑for‑profit and public sector provision. The intention is to create a more sustainable and planned system of care, where placements are available based on need rather than crisis purchasing.

We are also promoting regional collaboration between local authorities. Through regional partnership arrangements, authorities are being encouraged to pool resources, share placement capacity, and develop joint commissioning approaches. This helps to reduce competition between authorities for limited placements, which can contribute to last‑minute placements and instability for children.

Workforce development is another important element. Recruitment and retention challenges in foster care and residential services directly affect placement availability. The Government is supporting initiatives to grow the workforce, improve conditions, and enhance training, recognising that sufficient and skilled carers are essential to a stable placement system.

In addition, there is a focus on improving practice to prevent crises arising in the first place. This includes strengthening early intervention and edge‑of‑care services to support families and reduce the need for children to enter care in emergency situations. Where children do need to enter care, clearer planning and better coordination aim to ensure that placements are arranged in a more managed and child‑centred way.

The Government is also working with local authorities to improve placement matching processes. Better matching ensures that placements are suitable and stable, reducing the likelihood of breakdowns that can lead to emergency moves, including those occurring at unsociable times such as Friday evenings.