Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Quarter of foster children placed out of council area
New figures have revealed that more than a quarter of children in care in Wales were placed in new homes outside of their county.
As of 31 March 2016, approximately 1,500 of the 5,600 placements were made out of local authority areas, with Merthyr Tydfil council having the highest rate of looked-after children placed outside its area, sitting at 84 out of 141 children, and Swansea council the lowest rate at 24 out of 510.
The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has continuously warned that councils face an increasing demand for foster carers and are looking at a ‘difficult financial future’, but maintained that councils took their responsibility towards children in care and foster families ‘extremely seriously’.
Figures, released in May, led to the Fostering Network arguing that in excess of 400 foster families were needed in Wales in the next year to ensure children in need get a suitable home.
Action for Children has stated that there is a ‘lack of appropriate resources’ locally to help looked-after children, saying that, in some circumstances, ‘it is in the best interests of looked after children to be placed beyond the boundaries of their local council’, but usually it reflects ‘a lack of appropriate resources being available’.
Latest News
17/04/2024 - 11:58
Applications have opened for a £1.3 million competition to 'transform the transport sector, grow the economy and inspire innovation'.
17/04/2024 - 10:38
The first of Nottingham City Transport’s new electric buses entered service last week (11 April).
16/04/2024 - 10:40
The Scottish Government has announced that more than £9 million will be made available over the next three years to support social care.
16/04/2024 - 10:28
Council tax will be frozen across all of Scotland after Argyll & Bute became the final council to accept Scottish Government funding to keep ra
16/04/2024 - 09:01
Crown Commercial Service has announced that it has saved over £3.8 billion of taxpayer money over the last year, as the organisation celebrat
Company Focus
Just Lanyards is a subsidiary name of Gifts 2 Impress Limited, who have been trading for over 25 years, we therefore pride ourselves in having endless experience covering all aspects of the promotional merchandise industry.
Event Diary
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
Supplier Profiles
At GeoEnergy Design, we're on a mission to disrupt the traditional way heating and cooling ha
Latest Features
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.
