Mae mwy na thri chwarter y plant sy’n derbyn gofal mewn lleoliadau maeth. Trefniant dros dro yw hynny i rai ohonynt; ond i lawer o’r plant, yn enwedig plant hŷn sydd â chysylltiad â’u rhieni biolegol, gofal maeth hirdymor yw’r opsiwn sefydlog gorau. Cyflwynwyd Gwarcheidiaeth Arbennig yn 2005, fel ffordd o roi ‘cyfrifoldeb rhiant’ i ofalwr maeth, perthynas, neu gyfaill teuluol y plentyn, heb dorri’r cysylltiadau rhwng y plentyn a’i rieni biolegol. Plant yn eu harddegau yw cyfran helaeth o’r rhain ( 37% ), llawer ohonynt gydag anghenion uwch sy’n galw am ofal arbenigol. Dichon mai’r lleoliad mwyaf addas ar gyfer y bobl ifanc hyn yw cartref preswyl, lle y gallant dderbyn gofal gan weithwyr proffesiynol sydd â’r sgiliau a’r profiad i’w hannog i gyflawni eu potensial llawn.
Over three quarters of looked after children are in foster placements, For some, this is a temporary arrangement, but for many children, particularly older children with a link to their birth parents, long term foster care is the best permanent care option. Special Guardianship was introduced in 2005 as a way of giving foster carers, a relative or a family friend, parental responsibility for a child without severing ties with their birth parents. Teenagers account for a high number of these children (37%), many of whom have higher needs, requiring specialist care. For these young people, a residential setting may be most suited as they are able to be cared for by professionals who have the skills and experiences to encourage them to reach their optimum potential.