The pandemic made it harder to identify and support vulnerable children because schools were closed, safeguarding referrals had fallen and some children were not known to services. The Welsh Government was encouraging vulnerable children to attend school or childcare, maintaining visits in critical cases and expanding the definition of vulnerability so local authorities could offer places to children on the edge of care.

For children in foster care, the Government supported guidance for carers and extended helpline support, while local authorities assessed children’s needs individually. Foster carers had called for retainers when they could no longer foster temporarily and extra help with expenses; some local authorities had provided retainers or increased payments, but carers needing additional support were advised to approach their local authority or fostering agency.