Welsh Ministers have made the Fostering Panels and Care Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2026. Made on 23 January 2026 and coming into force on 1 April 2026, the instrument updates the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015 and the Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018.
The changes focus on placements with connected persons under section 81(6)(a) of the Social Services and Well‑being (Wales) Act 2014. In the Welsh framework, a connected person covers a relative, friend or other person linked to the child.
Regulation 31 of the 2015 Regulations on visiting frequency is revised. For connected person placements under section 81(6)(a), the responsible authority must set the ongoing visiting pattern after consulting the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO), the foster carer, the parents and the child. The interval between visits must not exceed six months.
Visiting rules for other placements are confirmed. Where a placement is not made under section 81(6)(a) but is intended to last until the child turns 18, social work visits must take place at intervals of no more than three months. In any other case, the maximum interval between visits remains six weeks.
Regulation 39 of the 2015 Regulations on review timing is also amended. Subsequent reviews must occur at intervals of no more than six months, except for connected person placements under section 81(6)(a), where the responsible authority sets the frequency following consultation with the IRO, foster carer, parents and child, with an upper limit of twelve months between reviews. The amendment also corrects a minor wording error in the English text.
In practice, local authorities will need to record how visiting and review frequencies have been determined for connected person placements and evidence the required consultations. The responsible authority remains the authority looking after the child.
The 2018 Regulations are clarified so that references to members of a person’s household include anyone living in the household under a placement or other arrangements with the local authority. This ensures assessment and safeguarding checks capture all relevant individuals who are part of the living arrangement.
Amendments to regulation 7 on assessing prospective foster parents strengthen information‑gathering. Where an applicant was previously approved by another provider, including a provider in England operating under the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, the Welsh provider must, with the applicant’s consent, request the assessment report, the most recent review of approval and relevant statutory records. Requests for references and records must be made in writing.
Regulation 7 also distinguishes the information to be obtained depending on the route to approval. For relatives, friends or other connected persons, providers must obtain the information listed in the new Part 3 of Schedule 1; for all other applicants, Part 2 applies. Providers are placed under an explicit duty to obtain any other information considered relevant to the assessment.
The new Part 3 of Schedule 1 sets out matters to be considered when assessing a connected person. These include personal background and identity, any current or previous involvement with the local authority, family dynamics, skills and capacity to meet the named child’s needs, ability to protect and promote wellbeing, lifestyle and commitments, supports or interventions required, and willingness to work with agreed support.
A new regulation 10A establishes an information‑sharing duty between fostering services providers. Upon receiving a written request made under regulation 7 for references or records, the provider must supply the information within 15 working days, at no cost to the requester, unless disclosure is prohibited by legislation or another rule of law.
Operationally, authorities and providers should update visiting and review procedures, panel documentation, assessment templates and data‑sharing protocols before 1 April 2026. Cross‑border processes should be aligned so that requests to or from providers in England reference the relevant documents prepared under the 2011 Regulations and are supported by applicant consent.
The Welsh Government has prepared a regulatory impact assessment covering likely costs and benefits. With the instrument taking effect on 1 April 2026, service leads should brief IROs, supervising social workers and panel advisers, and reflect the new maxima for connected person placements in case management systems.