Great news and a pressing call to action for Swansea! The number of looked-after children in the area has dropped slightly, but there’s an urgent need for more foster carers. Last year, Swansea saw 592 looked-after children, down from 603 the previous year. While this is a positive trend, the foster carer shortage has created a greater reliance on external agencies.
The council is actively seeking more foster carers, and there has been a spark of interest in recent months. The in-house service even received a thumbs-up from the Care Inspectorate Wales. However, challenges remain, especially with adoption services which are facing a dip, reflecting a national trend since Covid-19.
Alarming to note, there were a number of allegations against professionals, but progress is being made in resolving these issues. On a brighter note, the child and family services team received 15,261 contacts last year from various community members, leading to 724 valuable home visits.
The department also hit a milestone with significant improvements in social worker recruitment, reducing vacancies from a staggering 50% to just 10-12%. This is helping them manage the increasing complexity of demand, despite some remaining staffing pressures.
To all who have considered fostering or adoption, your community needs you! It’s a chance to make a real difference in young lives and support a system striving for excellence. Let’s continue to rally behind Swansea’s child and family services team, who, as highlighted by one grateful teenager, are having a lasting impact on young people.
Thinking about becoming a foster carer? Now’s the perfect time to step up and help shape a brighter future for our children. 🌟 #FosterCare #SwanseaCares #MakeADifference