Province
The Church in Wales
Diocese
Llandaff
Goal
Promoting the safe care of children. Welcare aims to promote the safe care of children in a residential environment which is nurturing and
caring for both mother and child.
Activity
Welcare have 6 residential placements available to women identified as in need of a parenting assessment.
Both Welcare managers are qualified and registered social workers, who have extensive experience in Children’s Services. They are supported by a team of skilled and experienced staff, who attend regular training. Welcare do not employ agency staff. The unit is staffed 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Partners can be assessed on a non residential basis. Partners will only be allowed on to the unit if there is evidence that they will not pose a risk to anyone else. It may prove necessary for a risk assessment of the partner to be carried out.
Welcare has a designated health visitor who visits on a regular basis. The assessment broadly follows The Framework for Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, incorporating any specific instructions from parties involved.
Outcomes
Families continue to be referred to the service for a wide variety of reasons. An increasing number of referrals are being received in respect of parents who have a learning disability or have a history of substance dependency. There have also been occasions over the past year when consideration has been given to a referral which could then not be accepted due to the extent of a parent’s difficulties.
Referrals continue to be received mainly from the South Wales area. However, families from West Wales, including Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Llanelli, have been assessed.
Referrals have continued to be received, appropriate to our statement of purpose to include community based assessments, which has created an opportunity to develop work on a wider scale.
A successful CSSIW inspection took place in March 2011 and the inspectorate was pleased with the service being offered by Welcare, particularly the improvements that have been made to the facilities since the last inspection.
Main language
English