This page explains how we support the development of social care for children and families.
We support Welsh Government’s transformation of children’s services programme.
We do this in four ways:
- by supporting the development of services using evidence and research
- by enabling people to share good practice, and connecting professionals across Wales
- by supporting people who provide social care to children to tackle challenges and explore ideas
- by developing a workforce that’s sufficient, well and skilled.
These help us to:
- find out what matters to people when we design services, and involve them in that process
- see trends, which can help us design services that meet people’s needs
- find out what could help us make services more sustainable or effective.
1. Supporting the development of services using evidence and research
Find out more
Report: the experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders
This report features the voices of children and young people sharing their experiences. It includes recommendations to improve the system of secure accommodation.
- The experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders (summary)
- The experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders
Residential child care worker resource
A resource for residential child care professionals with essential information, case studies, data, and research, to support good practice.
Insight Collective – Social Care Wales
Our dedicated research, data and innovation website. It’s home to evidence summaries, reports and a data portal to help you make a difference to social care in Wales. It also explains our research priorities for this year.
Supporting positive outcomes in children’s residential care: an evidence summary – Insight Collective
Includes relevant and up-to-date research on how residential care can be delivered in a way that supports positive outcomes for children and young people.
2. Enabling people to share good practice, and connecting professionals across Wales
Find out more
The Accolades
The awards that recognise, celebrate and share notable work in social care and childcare, play and early years in Wales.
Communities of practice – Insight Collective
Spaces for you to connect with other people, share knowledge and ideas, and create relationships across different sectors and across Wales.
3. Supporting people who provide social care to children to tackle challenges and explore ideas
Find out more
Improving care and support in Wales
Information, advice and resources to help you achieve what matters to the people you support.
Eliminating profit from social care – Welsh Government
How Welsh Government will support a transition to not-for-profit models for looked after children in Wales.
4. Developing a workforce that’s sufficient, well and skilled
Find out more
Workforce strategy
Explains how we’ll support the social care workforce from 2022 to 2025.
Your health and well-being
Information, advice and resources about managing your own well-being or the well-being of the people you manage. Includes Your well-being matters: workforce health and well-being framework for social care, early years and childcare.
Qualifications and funding
Information about the qualifications and funding available to support people who want to work in residential child care.
Playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and empathy (PACE) offer
We have a training package for local authorities to upskill residential child care staff to use the PACE approach with the people they support. Training availability is subject to funding. Email residentialchildcare@socialcare.wales for more information.
Guidance: registering a care home for children – Welsh Government
How service providers can follow best practice to set up a care home service for children.
Working in children’s residential care – WeCare Wales
Explains different roles in residential children’s care, and the skills, qualifications and experience you need.
Useful external links
Basic income pilot for care leavers – Welsh Government
Scheme to help care leavers receive a set amount of money from the government to cover basic needs.
Trauma Stress Wales – NHS Wales
A national initiative to improve the health and well-being of people in Wales who are at risk of developing, or have developed, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).
Trauma informed Wales framework – ACE Hub Wales
Explains how individuals, families or other support networks, communities, organisations and systems take account of adversity and trauma, recognising and supporting the strengths of an individual to overcome this experience in their lives.
First published: 1 April 2019
Last updated: 14 February 2025
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