Relatives raising children deserve more support. Swansea aims to boost in-house care and aid unaccompanied children.
Swansea Council had 93 connected carers last March. These carers are relatives or friends approved as foster carers. The council also had 132 mainstream foster carers who care for kids they don’t know.
Councillor Evans once sat on a fostering panel and found it emotionally draining. She said foster carers provide valuable support. She also said that adequate funding will always be a challenge.
Carer training was excellent, according to Councillor Evans. She felt training should emphasize the impact on carers’ lives. Some carers felt unprepared and withdrew from fostering, she noted.
Julie Davies leads child and family services. She said the council supports foster and connected carers. They host coffee meetups and celebration events, and she wants carers to share feedback.
Swansea, like other councils, has looked-after kids. There were 487 last March, down from 566 four years prior. The council uses private agencies and in-house carers. They need 60 more foster carers in three years, and they use a Facebook page for recruitment, said Davies.
Thirty-three children live in residential homes, mostly private. Some are in Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, or Carmarthenshire. Swansea only houses four children in its own homes now.
They plan to house 25 kids in four years. This involves buying properties and hiring staff. Welsh law aims to eliminate profit from child care, which drives the focus on in-house care.
Reports show care receivers shared their views in podcasts. Mixing with kids having similar life experiences was vital.
Supported accommodation also exists for kids, allowing young people leaving care to use support in accommodation. It assists independence while providing a safe, homely space.
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children also receive care. Swansea could house up to 46 at one time. A lack of housing for over-18s presents a challenge.