Who Regulates Foster Care Agencies in Wales?

Foster care agencies play a vital role in providing stable, nurturing homes for children who cannot live with their birth families. To ensure fostering agencies in Wales operate at the highest of standards, they are regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). CIW is an independent body responsible for ensuring social care services, including foster care agencies, meet the legal and ethical requirements outlined by Welsh legislation and guidelines. 

There are numerous laws governing inspections and requirements, some of the most significant are the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010, and Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016,. These rules and regulations help CIW ensure that foster care agencies deliver services that promote the safety, well-being, and development of children in care. In turn, these regulations ensure fostering agencies in Wales meet the needs of looked after children and their foster parents.  

Why Is Regulation of Fostering Agencies in Wales Important?

The regulation of fostering agencies in Wales is about more than ticking boxes—it’s about safeguarding children. Foster care agencies must meet a high standard of care to provide the stability and support children need to thrive. CIW’s oversight ensures that children in foster care are treated with dignity and respect and have access to the opportunities they deserve.

What Are the Responsibilities of the Regulator?

Below are some of CIW’s core duties and responsibilities when regulating fostering agencies in Wales. 

1. Registration

Fostering agencies in Wales must be registered with CIW to operate. Registration involves a detailed review of the agency’s structure, policies, and procedures to ensure they comply with regulatory requirements.

2. Inspection

CIW conducts regular inspections. These inspections assess the quality of care provided by the agency and ensure compliance with fostering regulations. CIW examines areas such as:

• Recruitment and training of foster carers.
• Matching processes between children and foster families.
• Support and Training provided to foster carers.
• Outcomes for children in care.

Click the links above to discover how we train, match and support our foster parents. 

3. Enforcement

If a fostering agency in Wales is found to fall short of the required standards, CIW has the authority to take enforcement action. This could include issuing improvement notices, imposing conditions on registration, or, in severe cases, cancelling the agency’s registration.

4. Guidance and Support

Beyond enforcement, CIW offers guidance to help foster care agencies understand regulatory requirements and improve their practices. This support ensures foster care agencies can continuously develop and adapt to meet the needs of children and families.

How Does the Regulator Ensure That Fostering Agencies in Wales Are Meeting the Needs of Children?

CIW employs a range of methods to ensure fostering agencies in Wales meet the needs of children, focusing on both the quality of care and the experiences of those involved in the fostering process. Here’s how:

1. Regular and Detailed Inspections

CIW inspections go beyond surface-level compliance checks. Inspectors evaluate how well foster care agencies implement child-centred practices. Inspectors use a framework to measure the agency's effectiveness, ensuring consistency in evaluations across Wales.

2. Listening to Children and Carers

A unique and critical element of CIW’s process is gathering feedback directly from foster carers and children. By hearing from those at the heart of fostering, CIW gains valuable insights into how well fostering agencies in Wales support them and whether they are meeting their needs. For children, this feedback often focuses on their sense of safety, stability, and connection within their fostering families.

3. Monitoring Compliance with Legislation

CIW ensures fostering agencies in Wales comply with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and other relevant laws, such as the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016. This compliance includes safeguarding policies, training programs, and matching processes between children and foster families.

4. Promoting Best Practices

CIW encourages foster care agencies to adopt innovative and effective approaches. This commitment helps foster carers and agencies create better outcomes for children in care.

CIW stated that Family Fostering Partners... “...places a high value on supporting foster carers to develop their resilience and skills through comprehensive training and fortnightly visits to foster homes. There is a team of dedicated and enthusiastic staff who themselves are well supported by a knowledgeable and committed management team.”

What CIW has to say about Family Fostering Partners

At Family Fostering Partners, we are an Independent Fostering Agency who place children at the heart of everything that we do. We believe that by well supporting our foster parents, they can provide the best possible care to looked after children. 

“Family Fostering Partners is a service which clearly places children’s well-being at the centre of everything it does. Children experience good quality care from skilled, dedicated foster carers who provide stability and suitable responses to children’s needs. Children’s education and health is prioritised and both foster carers and staff are strong advocates for children’s rights” explain CIW following their latest inspection of our services.. Read our full report.

In Summary

Regulation by CIW ensures that fostering agencies in Wales operate with integrity, safety, and professionalism. By registering, inspecting, and supporting agencies, CIW upholds a system that prioritizes the needs of children and their foster carers. For prospective foster carers, working with a regulated agency provides peace of mind, knowing they will receive the training, guidance, and support necessary to make a difference in a child’s life.

If you’re considering fostering, you can rest assured that as a leading fostering agency in Wales, we hold ourselves, and are held by CIW, to the highest standards. Contact us today to begin your fostering journey with us.