Welfare reform in 2012 brought It is not clear whether the change is the numerous changes to social security result of a successful strategic shift to benefits which are not yet reflected preventative services. CSSIW note in the data on poverty. Research that little had been done to evaluate the commissioned by the Welsh experience of people living without local Government, and undertaken by the authority support. Institute for Fiscal Studies, identified those most affected by the changes Access to childcare in Wales has as working-age disabled households, increased slightly since 2008/09, with non-working households especially a 2% increase in the total number of those with children, and lone parent childcare places for under eights over households (Phillips, 2014). There the period (CSSIW, 2014a). Provision were concerns about the impact on is patchy: supply in the South Wales women of aspects of Universal Credit, valleys and in parts of rural Wales such as is poor, with Blaenau having one payment of benefit per household or half the number of places per 100 couple. Further changes to benefits were children as in the Vale of Glamorgan or announced in the summer 2015 budget. Monmouthshire. Access to care and childcare Access to childcare is difficult for parents of disabled children and parents with The Care and Social Services atypical work patterns. On average Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) has childcare for year olds costs pointed to a year on year drop in the rate £104.32 a week for 25 hours of nursery of care and £96.81 a week for 25 hours of older people being supported to live childminder care (Rutter, 2015). in care homes from 22.8 per thousand in 2008/09 to 19.8 per thousand in 2013/14. At the same time there was In Britain some children in the care a significant drop in the rate of those system and in custody are allocated supported to live in the community placements far from home, making – down from 88.6 to 74.5 per thousand it difficult for them to access friends, over the same period 2014a). relatives and local support networks (Department for Education, 2014).
Welfare reform in 2012 brought numerous changes to social security benefits which are not yet reflected in the data on poverty. Research commissioned by the Welsh Government, and undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, identified those most affected by the changes as working-age disabled households, non-working households especially those with children, and lone parent households (Phillips, 2014). There were concerns about the impact on women of aspects of Universal Credit, such as one payment of benefit per household or couple. Further changes to benefits were announced in the summer 2015 budget. Access to care and childcare The Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) has pointed to a year on year drop in the rate of older people being supported to live in care homes from 22.8 per thousand in 2008/09 to 19.8 per thousand in 2013/14. At the same time there was a significant drop in the rate of those supported to live in the community – down from 88.6 to 74.5 per thousand over the same period 2014a). It is not clear whether the change is the result of a successful strategic shift to preventative services. CSSIW note that little had been done to evaluate the experience of people living without local authority support. Access to childcare in Wales has increased slightly since 2008/09, with a 2% increase in the total number of childcare places for under eights over the period (CSSIW, 2014a). Provision is patchy: supply in the South Wales valleys and in parts of rural Wales is poor, with Blaenau having half the number of places per 100 children as in the Vale of Glamorgan or Monmouthshire. Access to childcare is difficult for parents of disabled children and parents with atypical work patterns. On average childcare for year olds costs £104.32 a week for 25 hours of nursery care and £96.81 a week for 25 hours of childminder care (Rutter, 2015). In Britain some children in the care system and in custody are allocated placements far from home, making it difficult for them to access friends, relatives and local support networks (Department for Education, 2014).