MS, Minister for Children and
Social Care: Today, the Legacy Report for the
Transformation Programme for Children's Services has been
published, which ran through the Senedd's Sixth Senedd Term from
2021 to 2026. This significant Report has been written by members
of a cross-sector Transformation Delivery Group who oversaw
progress of the Programme and makes 10 recommendations for the
next Senedd so this vital work continues. The Group's broad
membership included leaders from agencies involved in the lives
of care experienced young people, as well as care experienced
young people.
The Transformation Programme was built on three key elements -
radical reform, future provision of services and the whole system
working together. It has been informed by the voice
of children and young people who are experiencing or have
experienced children's services.
This Report outlines the progress made this term and some
examples of what the Programme has achieved including:
- The Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025 (‘The 2025 Act'),
making us the first UK nation to introduce a ban on profit from
children's care in Wales.
- The Care Experienced Summits and the Radical Reform
Declaration and Vision – the first of their kind in the UK.
- The development and publication of the Corporate Parenting
Charter and its 11 principles of corporate parenting developed
with young people.
- Parental Advocacy services rolled out across Wales.
- The creation of Foster Wales, this national identity enabled
consistent messaging, streamlined recruitment, and fostered a
stronger sense of community among carers.
Together with the Report is an accompanying annex which is a new
Early Intervention and Prevention Framework developed by a
dedicated work stream established by the Transformation Delivery
Group. The Framework draws together learning and experience
across Wales to support a whole system approach to maintaining
and improving the provision of early intervention and prevention
services, to safely reduce the number of babies, children and
young people coming into the care system.
Whilst considerable progress has been made in transforming
children's services in Wales we do acknowledge there is more work
to do, and the Legacy Report concludes with 10 recommendations
from the Delivery Group for the next Senedd term.
We have taken some big strides on this journey which will
continue into the next Senedd term and beyond.
