Independent Visitors

Our key calls for change:

• An active offer for looked after children to be given access to an Independent Visitor (if in their best interests)
• All local authorities in Wales that currently have no Independent Visitor service must take action to meet their legal obligations under the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014.

Background information & introduction to our work

Under the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014, Section 98, it is a statutory requirement that every looked after child is entitled to an Independent Visitor (IV). However, awareness of this is still very low, and a very limited number of looked after children have access to the service.

Dr Croke has written a blog on this issue to help to raise awareness of the failure to implement the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014. The blog argues the Welsh Government must proactively create and implement a plan to support local authorities to prioritise and resource IV services. All local authorities in Wales that currently have no IV service must take action to meet their legal obligations under the act.

After submitting evidence to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on this issue, it was very pleasing to see that for the first time, the UK Concluding Observations have included a specific recommendation to Wales, in relation to children being able to access Independent Visitors. Recommendation 38 b ensure: ‘care experienced children have access to independent visitor service’.

We welcome that the Welsh Government has responded to this recommendation saying they will work to explore improving independent visiting services. We hope to see however, this translated into a clear action plan for change as soon as possible.