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Daniel was placed with foster carers Jane and Dave Morris at the age of five and, as he approached adulthood, Shared Lives gave him a way to remain with the family who had raised him. Now supported as an adult through the scheme, Daniel continues to live as part of the family, with Jane, Dave and their sons helping him maintain his independence, wellbeing and community connections.
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The Valleys Briefing
(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys. Anytime you have something you’d like to share, no matter how big or small, email laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com):
Caerphilly Council’s Cabinet has decided not to proceed with a consultation to close Deri Primary School at its meeting on 24 September. Following careful consideration, the Governing Body at the school has written to the council requesting that the proposed consultation be paused until the end of the current financial year. Although the financial challenges have not gone away, Governors believe it is appropriate to continue through to the end of the financial year before reassessing the position. Leader of the council, councillor Jamie Pritchard said, “We have listened to the feedback from the Governing Body, parents and wider community over recent weeks. Therefore, we have decided not to consult on the closure of Deri School as a result of all the feedback received. We will work with the governing body of the school to ensure we support the school community and continue our engagement going forward.”
Blaenau Gwent Council has reviewed how grassland is managed to help improve biodiversity and strengthen local ecosystems. This includes changes to grass-cutting programmes and identifying areas in parks, open spaces and school grounds that can be managed for wildlife. Councillor Tommy Smith, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood & Environment Services, said: “This project shows how small changes in the way we manage our land can make a real difference for nature, learning and wellbeing. By working with schools, our Grounds Maintenance team and the Biodiversity Team are helping to create spaces where wildlife can thrive and young people can see nature recovery happening in their own communities.” Glyncoed Primary School in Ebbw Vale has been held up as a strong example of this approach in action. The school has created biodiversity areas while maintaining accessible pathways, enabling pupils to engage safely with nature as part of their learning. This balanced approach helps meet the needs of the school community while supporting wildlife.
Merthyr Tydfil Council is facing a number of challenges to recruit and retain people to deliver its services, a report has found. Audit Wales looked at the recruitment and retention challenges Merthyr Tydfil Council is facing which included how well the council understands its challenges, what it is doing in response, and how it reviews the value for money of its approaches.
The main audit question was: “Does the council have proper arrangements to address its recruitment and retention challenges?” The report reviewed and tested the recruitment and retention arrangements in the finance, engineering, and highways and children’s services departments during November 2025.
The report found the Council is taking steps to address its known recruitment and retention challenges but it has a limited understanding of them. The report said the Council does not routinely analyse the information it holds which makes it difficult for the council to determine if it is providing value for money. It also said the Council does not usually identify learning from its recruitment and retention approach to improve how it addresses challenges in the future. Two recommendations have been made: Focus on the Council improving its understanding of its recruitment and retention challenges, and determine if its response to them provides value for money and reviewing its application and on-boarding processes.
“He will be part of our family forever”: The foster carers who wouldn’t let adulthood tear them apart
When Daniel was five years old, he was placed with foster carers Jane and Dave Morris in Pontypridd by the local authority.
“There were a lot of medical issues for Daniel that progressed to require quite complex care,” Jane told The Valleys Lead. “He’s also got learning difficulties.”
Although Jane and Dave have fostered multiple children over the years, Daniel remained with the couple throughout his childhood.
‘We’d become family’
As Daniel approached the age of 18, Jane knew he would effectively age out of the foster care system, and she worried about his health and wellbeing if he could no longer remain in their care.
“And Daniel was panicking and devastated,” Jane said. “There were conversations about what we would do, but all he wanted to do was to stay with us. We’d become family.”
While many care leavers look for their own accommodation with the help of their local authority, or perhaps return to their birth families, “that wouldn’t have been a safe option for Daniel,” Jane said.
Because of Daniel’s care needs, the local authority informed him about Shared Lives.
Shared Lives is a model of care in which an adult who needs support is matched with a pre-approved carer, becoming part of their family and community life. The scheme supports adults with a range of needs, including learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs and physical disabilities, as well as older people who may need additional support to maintain their independence.
A way to stay together
For Jane, Dave and Daniel, Shared Lives offered a way for the family to remain together.
Daniel could continue living with Jane and Dave, while they could continue to access support in caring for his needs as an adult.
Jane and Dave went through an in-depth assessment process to become Shared Lives carers, including the necessary checks and training required to support Daniel.
Their son, Kyle, who is 11 months older than Daniel, decided he would become a Shared Lives carer too.
“Kyle said he’d go through the process to become a carer in case something happened to Dave and I,” Jane said. “Daniel is his brother, Kyle said, and he’d look after him.”
Once they had all been approved by Shared Lives, life with Daniel continued in many ways as it had before.
“Except now, Kyle takes Daniel out on respite,” Jane said. “They do fun things that kids don’t always want to do with their families. He can go away with Kyle and be a 20-year-old lad safely.”
Supporting people in their communities
Paul Hughes, a Shared Lives Worker with Southeast Wales Shared Lives Scheme, told The Valleys Lead that “no two days are the same”, as the service is built around each individual and their goals.
A typical day might involve helping someone develop independent living skills, attending work or volunteering, going shopping, meeting friends, taking part in hobbies or community groups, exercising, or simply enjoying everyday family life.
“The aim is to support people to live as independently as possible while maintaining meaningful relationships and participating in their local community,” Hughes said.
The Southeast Wales Shared Lives Scheme operates across Caerphilly, Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
“Currently, approximately 520 Shared Lives arrangements are supported by around 244 approved carer households,” Hughes said. “As demand for personalised, community-based support continues to grow, the service is actively seeking new Shared Lives carers to create more opportunities for people to benefit from a family-based approach to care and support within their own communities.”
For some people, Hughes said, the scheme can also provide a “highly effective alternative to hospital admission.”
