sign in

On 15 November 2005 the five pilot support care projects - Powys, Pembrokeshire, Newport, Swansea and a Barnardos/Gwynedd partnership - met in mid Wales to pick up tips on how to develop, sustain and extend their support care schemes.

Delegates were delighted to have time to pick Joy Howard's brains. Joy is the recognised support care expert in England and Wales having spent ten years setting up the extremely successful Bradford support care programme which to date has had 2000 referrals!

It is still early days for the five pilots in Wales but they all agree they're now equipped with the information they need to recruit, assess and train support carers and ensure that support care is available to those families who need it most.

Philippa Williams, the support care project worker for the Fostering Network Wales, said:

"it is amazing that in just six months of operation, this project has penetrated the hearts and minds of so many people across Wales. We are confident that this initial enthusiasm will soon result in lots of dedicated support carers offering the vital care that is needed to help families stay together. Schemes which have already advertised for support carers have been delighted at the response".