Foster Wales Carmarthenshire is reflecting on five years of providing local care and support after the national Foster Wales network marked its fifth anniversary on 15 July. The organisation, formed in 2021 to bring together the 22 local authority fostering services across Wales, operates as a not-for-profit with the stated aim of directing investment back into foster families and the children they support.
Local figures and national reach
Since the network was established, Foster Wales reports the recruitment of 704 new foster carers, with more than 1,000 children benefiting from placements within local authority services. A central aim has been to ensure children remain close to familiar surroundings and support networks: across Wales, 84% of children placed through local authority fostering services remained within their local communities, compared with 32% placed through independent fostering agencies.
- Established: 2021 (national network)
- New foster carers recruited: 704
- Children supported: 1,000+
- Local placements (local authority): 84%
- Local placements (independent agencies): 32%
Tools and initiatives to strengthen local matches
In 2025 Foster Wales introduced the Big Welcome online portal, designed to help prospective foster children learn about their new households in advance. The portal allows foster carers to create personalised profiles with photographs and details about their family, home, pets and local area; the network says 762 foster carers across Wales now use the tool. Foster Wales has also promoted a Care Friends scheme, enabling foster carers to help local recruitment informally by sharing opportunities within their communities.
“I am incredibly proud of what Foster Wales Carmarthenshire and our foster carers have achieved over the past five years. Keeping children connected to their communities, schools, friends, and support networks can make a real difference at a difficult time in thei
The quoted comment was made by Cllr Jane Tremlett, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Children and Families, in connection with the anniversary. The published extract underlines the local authority’s emphasis on connection to schools and existing support networks as a priority when placing children who cannot live with their birth families.
What this means for Carmarthenshire
For Carmarthenshire residents, the Foster Wales model aims to reduce the need for long-distance placements and the disruption they bring. Keeping children close to home can help maintain education continuity, local friendships and access to family-led support. The not-for-profit structure also means any surplus resources are intended to be reinvested into services that support foster families and children rather than diverted to private shareholders.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Years since national launch | 5 |
| New foster carers recruited (Wales) | 704 |
| Children supported (local authority services) | 1,000+ |
| Local placements (local authority) | 84% |
| Local placements (independent agencies) | 32% |
| Big Welcome users | 762 foster carers |
Local authorities and residents with an interest in fostering may find the services and initiatives introduced by Foster Wales relevant when considering how best to support children who cannot live with their birth families. The focus on local placements and on tools to ease transitions is positioned as a tangible way of reducing upheaval for children at a vulnerable time.
Further information about fostering with local authorities in Carmarthenshire, including how to enquire about becoming a foster carer or using the Big Welcome portal, can be obtained from the county council’s children’s services.
