The Fostering Network has welcomed the publication of a report by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) on the national inspection of safeguarding and care planning of looked after children and care leavers who exhibit vulnerable or risky behaviours. 

In response to the report's publication, director of The Fostering Network Wales Emily Warren said: "The children in care in Wales deserve our communities and our wider society to be ambitious for them and supportive of them throughout their lives, and this must continue as they transition from care into independence. Collaborative working is vital to supporting young people, and with a holistic approach that involves all who work with young people, including their foster carers, then we will be in a position to help individuals into positive futures.

"Corporate parents, like all good parents, need to understand the individual in their care to help them discover what is best for them – but they can’t do it alone. The Fostering Network Wales sees the positive impact that inclusion of foster carers in care planning can have, and we would support this to be implemented as standard practice across the country.

"We ask the foster carers of Wales to do a monumental job for our community. They save our Government hundreds of thousands of pounds by using their experience and expertise to open their front doors to give those who need it most a safe and stable place to call home. Foster carers are truly the front line of support for young people and they both need, and deserve, to be provided with additional training where requested and needed to enable them to continue to do this work.

"Young people may be living in a stable home for the first time in their lives, and so we must strongly consider bringing those who live and work with children and young people on a day-to-day basis into care planning. With the provision of suitable training and support foster carers and fostering services can enable each young person to be prepared with the skills that could be the key to success in independence.

"We hope that wider collaborative work with corporate parents and others involved in caring for children will help towards encouraging more people to become foster carers and ensure that children and young people in care in Wales have the best possible opportunities to fulfil their potential."

You can view the full report on the CSSIW website.

For more information or interviews, contact The Fostering Network press office on media@fostering.net or 020 7620 6425