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

The report from a working group established by Welsh Government calls for far greater transparency over the Crown Estate’s finances and a stronger partnership approach to ensure communities across Wales benefit from future investment, especially in offshore wind and supporting infrastructure.

Councils across Wales have consistently supported the devolution of the Crown Estate’s assets so that decisions about Wales’s natural resources are made in Wales and aligned with local economic priorities.

The WLGA said the report provides useful new evidence and a clear pathway for strengthening accountability while the case for devolution is developed further.

The WLGA said it would now consider the Welsh Government’s response to the report in full, but that the four recommendations, including improved financial reporting, stronger scrutiny arrangements and the development of a clear business case, represent a positive step forward in strengthening Wales’s voice in how the Crown Estate’s assets in Wales operate here.

The association added that it will continue to work with the Welsh Government, the UK Government and the Crown Estate to ensure that Wales secures the maximum possible benefit from future renewable energy developments and other investments linked to its natural resources.

Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, WLGA Leader, said:

“People in Wales deserve to see the full benefit of our natural resources. This report reinforces what councils have been saying for some time – there must be far greater transparency about how the Crown Estate operates in Wales and how the benefits are shared with our communities.  

“Local authorities welcome the jobs, investment and opportunities linked to offshore wind and other developments felt in every part of Wales. While we warmly welcome the stronger focus on partnership and accountability, our long-standing position remains that the Crown Estate’s assets in Wales should be devolved so that decisions can be taken closer to the communities they affect.”