Cyngor Gofal Cymru / Care Council for Wales

Recently-announced Government initiatives will be vital catalysts in continuing the transformation of social care services for people in Wales.

That was the view of the Care Council for Wales, when it met in Cardiff yesterday (Thursday, 16 July). Members agreed that the extension of employee groups to be registered with the Care Council and the announcement of a workforce task group and an independent commission all signalled a clear commitment to build on existing progress and develop a workforce and services to meet the future needs of Wales.

The Welsh Assembly Government announced recently that, by next July, all managers of adult residential care homes will have to register with the Care Council, with managers in the domiciliary care sector following on in 2012. The Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas AM, has also announced the establishment of a task group to examine the workforce challenges and the creation of an independent commission to support the drive for high-quality services across local authorities, as well as voluntary and independent bodies.

These announcements have been complemented by the issuing of clear guidance on the role and responsibility of Directors of Social Services for the services provided in their communities.

Mutale Merrill, Chair of the Care Council, said: "Wales is setting out its own distinctive agenda for shaping social services and social care services that is based around the rights of the individual and social justice. It is recognised that the only way to move this agenda forward is to work in partnership across the whole social services family, including providers, commissioners, regulators, people who provide services and those who receive them.

"We welcome the focus on the workforce, and the extension of mandatory registration will reinforce our efforts to ensure that the social care workforce in Wales is safe to practice and is working to the highest standards of professionalism. We look forward to working with the social care sector and the Assembly Government to deliver this next step in strengthening public confidence in the workforce.

She added: "Not only does it help raise standards, but it also means we can gather vital information about the workforce that helps with future planning and ensures the best-possible services are being provided to those people who most need them."

Commenting on the plans for an independent commission and a task group, Rhian Huws Williams, Care Council Chief Executive, said: "These are very welcome developments. The commission will bring together the expertise and input of all the key organizations to achieve integrated social services to meet the needs of people of all ages in the most effective way over the next decade and beyond. And the task group will explore ways of improving recruitment and retention and of boosting the status of the profession in Wales."

Ends

If have need any further information, please contact Malcolm Williams on 029 2078 0634 or Charmine Smikle on 029 2078 0626.