Social care

3 commitments in the Welsh Government's Programme for Government 2026 to 2030 fall under this brief, in the Programme's own words. Under each is how often it has been raised in the Seventh Senedd.

Source: Welsh Government, Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales, first published on 10 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Mentions are found by matching the names of plans, bodies and schemes; a mention says nothing about progress.

Statements, debates and legislation in Plenary on this brief, newest first. Oral question sessions are counted in the contributions below.

1. 13 October 2026Statement

   Update on winter preparedness

   Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care

   Opened by Mabon ap Gwynfor25 contributions

2. 6 October 2026Statement

   Stronger Safeguarding for a Safer Wales

   Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health

   Opened by Delyth Jewell23 contributions

3. 8 July 2026Legislation

   A Bill on corporate parenting

   Member’s Legislative Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv)

   Opened by Sarah Cooper-Lesadd20 contributions

4. 7 July 2026Statement

   Priorities for social care, mental health and women's health

   Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health

   Opened by Delyth Jewell23 contributions

5. 30 June 2026Statement

   Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness

   Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care

   Opened by Mabon ap Gwynfor24 contributions

6. 2 June 2026Statement

   Health and Care Priorities

   Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care

   Opened by Mabon ap Gwynfor21 contributions

No votes in the Seventh Senedd have been tagged with this.

Votes are tagged from their own titles and the agenda item they were held under.

18 written questions to the Welsh Government on this brief in the Seventh Senedd, 16 answered so far. The latest:

1. Darren MillarConservative20 October 2026

   What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact that the Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025 has had on the capacity of children's residential and foster care services?

   To the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care. Awaiting an answer

2. Gareth ThomasReform12 October 2026

   How is the Welsh Government ensuring that consistent safeguarding, communication and licensing standards are applied to private vehicle hire services across Wales?

   To the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy. Answered 19 October 2026

3. Lynne NeagleLabour12 October 2026

   What is the timescale for completing research on young carers in education announced in the decision report of 30 June?

   To the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language. Answered 19 October 2026

4. Joshua KimReform9 October 2026

   What is the latest average caseload for children's social workers in each Welsh local authority, and what was the corresponding figure in each of the previous three years?

   To the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care. Awaiting an answer

5. Janet Finch-SaundersConservative5 October 2026

   How is the Cabinet Minister working with local authorities to close the care gap between hospitals and care homes?

   To the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care. Answered 15 October 2026

All 18 written questions on this brief

10 petitions to the Senedd on this brief, open ones first, then by signatures:

1. Halt any loss of beds, facilities and Community Hospital closures in Powys review of rural healthcare

   Open

   10,411 signatures

2. Require Welsh councils to prioritise quality, continuity, and safety when commissioning social care

   Open

   650 signatures

3. Strengthen statutory codes and guidance to improve safety and support for autistic children across Wales

   Open

   381 signatures

4. Georgia’s Law for urgent safe housing for high-risk abuse survivors

   Open

   184 signatures

5. Make Body Worn Cameras Mandatory for Social Workers in Wales

   Open

   131 signatures

6. Formally recognize "Profound Autism" in Welsh Health and Social Care Policy

   Open

   129 signatures

No committee sessions on this brief in the Seventh Senedd yet.

Articles by Senedd Research, the Senedd's impartial research service, on this brief, newest first.

1. Heatwaves and health: can Wales adapt to rising temperatures?

   19 October 2026

   The summer of 2026 was record-breaking. Wales experienced exceptionally hot and dry weather and official heatwaves were recorded in May, June, July, and August.

2. The future health and care workforce in Wales

   9 September 2026

   The new Welsh Government's plans for health and social care reform place significant emphasis on the workforce.

3. Vacancies and visas: the workforce pressures facing adult social care

   12 August 2026

   Workforce challenges remain one of the most pressing issues facing social care.

4. From cradle to grave: breaking the cycle of inequality and poverty

   27 May 2026

   For some people, inequality means starting school already behind their peers, facing insecure work and lower pay in adulthood or struggling with poor health in later life.

5. Adult social care reform: is Wales prepared to confront the escalating pressures on the care system?

   21 May 2026

   Decades of stalled reform, rising costs and demand, and an overstretched workforce have created instability that will only intensify without significant action to deliver a more sustainable care system.

More from Senedd Research on this subject

Titles and summaries are Senedd Research's own, © Senedd Commission. How we match articles to briefs.

329 contributions in the Seventh Senedd, newest first.

1. Helen JennerReform

   13 October 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the First Minister

   …is, whether this is an isolated case or not, two girls have suffered because of a serious failure in safeguarding. First Minister, last week your Deputy Minister for Transport announced yet another 18-month study into congestion on the M4 around Newport, alongside proposals that could see motorway…

   Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

2. Rhun ap IorwerthPlaid

   13 October 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the First Minister

   I think I would refer the Member to the safeguarding work that this Government is doing in general, making sure that we are strengthening the provisions that we put in place as a Welsh Government to safeguard the citizens of Wales. What has been described to me—and it's not a case that I am familiar…

   Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

3. Helen JennerReform

   13 October 2026, Plenary

   Questions to the First Minister

   …have you had with the Home Office about this case? What assurances have you sought about the safeguarding of communities hosting asylum accommodation? And will you now commission an urgent review of the arrangements between Welsh public services and the Home Office to ensure that a case like this is…

   Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

4. Paul Mears

   12 October 2026, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee

   NHS Finances: evidence session with NHS Wales health boards

   It’s really important, I think, to remember that you can never completely safeguard, because safeguarding issues are by nature often things that come out where nobody was in contact with a family, and something awful was going on. So, you can never give complete assurance of that nature. But what I…

   Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

5. Alun CoxPlaid

   12 October 2026, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee

   NHS Finances: evidence session with NHS Wales health boards

   …identify the highest priority. Although you have assured, through the board, to the Minister that those safeguarding procedures are in place, how confident can we be that those safeguarding procedures are not going to leave us in a position where families and individuals are in a very difficult…

   Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

6. Paul Mears

   12 October 2026, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee

   NHS Finances: evidence session with NHS Wales health boards

   …obviously working very closely also with our local authority partners who have a key role to play in safeguarding, because many of their professionals are also dealing with those families as well. We've also made changes to the way the service is delivered. We now have a single point of contact, so…

   Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

7. Iain McIntoshReform

   12 October 2026, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee

   NHS Finances: evidence session with NHS Wales health boards

   …will you therefore publish the net financial effect after accounting for additional ambulance journeys, social care pressures, treatment commissions from neighbouring hospitals and any other costs transferred elsewhere? Otherwise, I think the point I'm making is: how we can distinguish a genuine…

   Tagged for: “social care”Official Record

8. Jason O'ConnellReform

   8 October 2026, Petitions Committee

   New Petitions

   …the eight-bed Specialist Palliative Care ward at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon and increasing care at home. While home care is important, inpatient specialist beds remain essential for patients with complex needs, those without suitable home support, and families requiring respite. Removing the ward would reduce…

   Tagged for: “home care”Official Record

9. Mabon ap GwynforPlaid

   8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

   Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

   …didn't receive this letter at that point. Now we've got the response from the Department of Health and Social Care to our concerns, we'll be able to assess that fully and then—. All I can say at the moment is 'in due course', but it won't be too long. Maybe my officials will be—

   Tagged for: “Social Care”Official Record

10. Alex Slade

    8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

    Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

    …flows agreement protocol, that is a discussion that we have regularly with the Department of Health and Social Care colleagues in terms of, I suppose, who's the net beneficiary in terms of those English to Welsh or Welsh to English patient flows. But the Bill doesn't actually give rise to any reason…

    Tagged for: “Social Care”Official Record

11. Sara CrowleyPlaid

    8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

    Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

    …again, a patient of any age—receives care in England, but when there is a serious failure? What safeguarding measures are in place to ensure that patients don't fall between the cracks in terms of those responsibilities, because we see that being a difficulty between health boards, so how would we…

    Tagged for: “safeguarding”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

12. Alex Slade

    8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

    Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

    If I may add to that, as the Minister describes, safeguarding provisions towards patients would remain the same and wouldn't be amended. The point that Mari is making—and it applies to all of the requests we've made—is not to preclude the intent of the Bill, but actually to ensure that Welsh…

    Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

13. Natasha AsgharConservative

    8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

    Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

    So, as it stands, there aren't any particular safeguarding options that you're pushing forward for to be a part of this Bill?

    Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

14. Natasha AsgharConservative

    8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

    Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

    Okay. Thank you so much for your answer. In relation to safeguarding, because obviously we're going to be talking about patient confidentiality, we're talking about public confidence, and also the appropriate use of data in relation to Schedule 7, which I just touched upon, I just wanted to know, in…

    Tagged for: “safeguarding”Official Record

15. Mari Williams

    8 October 2026, Health and Social Care Committee

    Legislative Consent: Health Bill - evidence session 4

    If I could just come in—just to say, Schedule 7 is slightly different. These are health and social care information systems, and they can be established by the Secretary of State. There is currently an ability for the Secretary of State to establish such systems for the Welsh Ministers if we request…

    Tagged for: “social care”Official Record

This brief follows the Programme commitments listed above and tags the record with the phrases below. Keyword matching can miss business that discusses the issue in other words, and can tag a passing mention.

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