The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) is warning that social care in Wales will not be sustainable without long-term funding certainty, a properly valued workforce and a decisive shift towards prevention and early support.
Working with ADSS Cymru and Solace Wales, the WLGA has set out a refreshed vision for social care, arguing that the current system is under unsustainable pressure and must evolve to meet growing demand.
More than 81,000 people currently receive care and support, with councils carrying out over 126,000 assessments annually. Around 80% of people rate their care as good or excellent, but councils warn this is becoming harder to sustain.
Councils say social care is a vital public service that helps people live independently, protects the most vulnerable and supports children, families and adults in every community.
However, rising demand, workforce shortages and financial pressures are making this increasingly difficult to maintain.
The vision calls for a move away from crisis-driven responses towards earlier help and stronger community-based support. Councils argue that services should remain rooted in local government, where they can be shaped around the needs of local people.
It also highlights the need to invest earlier in support for children and families and make better use of digital tools to help people stay independent and reduce pressure on services.
Councils are calling for immediate action to address cost and workforce pressures, alongside a wider national conversation about how social care is funded in the long term.
Councillor Jane Gebbie, WLGA Spokesperson for Social Care, said:
“This is the reality people working in social care see every day. Services are doing everything they can to support people, but the pressure is relentless.
“We cannot keep asking more of a system that is already stretched too far. If we want a system that truly works for people, we have to invest earlier, helping families before things reach crisis point and supporting people to stay independent for longer.
“That’s better for people and makes better use of public money. But that shift won’t happen without proper, long-term funding and a workforce that feels valued and supported.
“This refreshed vision is about being honest about the challenges we face, but also confident about the solutions. Social care in Wales continues to deliver every day for people and communities, but the system is under unsustainable pressure.”
Claire Marchant, ADSS Cymru Cadeirydd, said:
“This vision reflects what directors of social services see every day – a dedicated workforce delivering high quality care in incredibly challenging circumstances. We know what works: early support, strong local partnerships and services designed around people rather than systems.
"But ambition alone is not enough. Without sustainable funding, workforce investment and genuine system wide commitment to prevention, we will continue to be locked into crisis response. This vision sets out a shared direction of travel, and ADSS Cymru looks forward to working with WLGA, Welsh Government and partners to deliver meaningful change for people across Wales.”
A Vision for Social Care in Wales