Article
Young care experienced people in NPT welcome plan to phase profit out of children’s care
19 March 2025
Foster Wales Neath Port Talbot is joining Wales’ fostering community in highlighting the benefits of local authority care as the Welsh Government’s landmark Health and Social Care Bill begins the process of removing profit from the children’s care system.
Wales is the first country in the UK to legislate to remove profit from both residential and foster care for children.
Foster Wales’ Staying local campaign, led by care experienced people and local authority foster carers, aims to show how the policy will support young people in care to stay connected to their local area, community, friends, and school.
Last year, 85 per cent of young people with local authority foster carers remained in their area. However, only 31 per cent of young people cared for by commercial fostering agencies stayed local, with 7 per cent being moved outside of Wales entirely.*
A young person from Neath Port Talbot, who had previously been cared for by a foster family outside her local community, said: “It's really important staying local. We have a lot to deal with without having to move to a strange place and make new friends.
“I didn't know how to get around the area so I didn't leave the house. If I live locally my support group is already there. I can access groups and events which helps my mental health.”
In Wales, there are more than 7,000 children in the care system, but only 3,800 foster families. Foster Wales has set out with the bold aim of recruiting over 800 new foster families by 2026 to provide welcoming homes for local children and young people.
Cllr Sian Harris, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Children & Families, said:
"This legislation is a significant step forward in ensuring that the care system prioritises the well-being of our young people over profit.
“By keeping children connected to their local communities, we can provide them with the stability and support they need to thrive.”
For more information about fostering, or to make an enquiry, visit: https://npt.fosterwales.gov.wales/