Report, Document

Social services national outcomes framework: annual report 2024

How we measure the wellbeing of people who receive care and support and unpaid carers who receive support.

First published: 6 June 2025

Last updated: 6 June 2025

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Foreword

The last 4 years have brought many challenges, with the cost of living crisis, social division, and global conflicts. Across Wales the need for care and support is as high as ever. As such, improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Wales continues to be a vital goal of Welsh Government.

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 places wellbeing at the heart of social care. It stresses the needs of people to be equal partners in shaping their care, having voice and control and underlines that their wellbeing must be central to the support they receive. When considering the last year and the ongoing challenges facing Wales, ensuring that people across Wales are receiving the care and support that they need, as envisaged in the act, remains critical.

In 2016, we issued the wellbeing statement which described what wellbeing means for people who need care and support and unpaid carers who need support. This statement is as relevant now as it was 9 years ago. All people want to achieve their own personal outcomes, both those that are big and small, the things that are important to them. The statement helps organisations to work together, and better, to support individuals to achieve their outcomes.

Our programme for government sets out our priorities for this Senedd term. It also includes the 10 wellbeing objectives. We use these to make sure our contribution to delivering the programme for government is focused on achieving each of the wellbeing goals. We will work to provide all the people of Wales with equal opportunities to meet their goals and achieve their outcomes.

Therefore, we continue to monitor the health and wellbeing of everyone in Wales. We will do this using this national outcomes framework report.

Executive summary

This report provides a summary of the available data we hold about people’s wellbeing. There are clear positive outcomes noted in this report. For example, for the second year running, all of the social housing stock in Wales was compliant with the Welsh housing quality standards, as well as high levels of people rating that the care and support they received was good or excellent.

The report also importantly identifies areas for improvement, for example reducing the gap between people receiving care and support and other groups, to ensure that they experience the same levels of wellbeing, across all wellbeing objectives.

Some data collections have changed over time, while others have ceased to be relevant or were impacted by the pandemic. As a result, where we would typically provide timeseries for certain measures, some of these were not available prior to the pandemic, or data may not be comparable to previous years due to changes in collection methodology. Additionally, some collections have ceased entirely, and so the associated indicators have been discontinued.

Securing rights and entitlements

Most people receiving care and support or support as unpaid carers:

rated the care and support they received as excellent or good
agreed they had received the right information or advice when they needed it
felt involved in the decisions around their care and support
said that they were treated with respect

However, it is important to note that when it comes to rights and entitlements, there is still work to be done to improve:

there is a gap between those receiving care and support (including unpaid carers receiving support) and those not receiving care and support in relation to being in control of their daily life
a lower proportion of people agreed that the support received helped them to have a better quality of life compared to last year
a reduction in the proportion of people rating the people providing help, care and support as excellent or good

And lastly, while there were many people reporting their care and support positively, there was also an increase in the proportion of unpaid carers reporting their support as poor or very poor.

Physical health, mental health, and emotional wellbeing

There was a mix of positive and negative outcomes in this area, although it must be acknowledged that social care is there to support people who often have poor physical, mental or emotional wellbeing.

Positively, since 2022 there has been an increase in the proportion of children receiving care and support who have up-to-date immunisations and dental checks. Nevertheless, there remain gaps between those receiving care and support and those who are not, including in:

adults’ happiness and mental wellbeing
children’s mental health
physical health
life satisfaction

The levels of the gaps differ; for example, the proportion of unpaid carers reporting high life satisfaction was only slightly higher than non-carers. However, there are improvements to be made to shorten the gap to ensure those receiving care and support are getting their physical, mental and emotional health needs met within Wales.

Protection from abuse and neglect

There has been a decrease of domestic abuse incidents and offences in Wales in 2022 to 2023, as well as an increase in people reporting feeling safe regardless of receiving care and support. However, it is worth noting that there is still a gap in the level of safety felt by those receiving care and support and those not receiving care and support. There has also been a reduction in sexual offence recorded in Wales in 2023 to 2024 compared to 2022 and 2021.

The proportion of children in Wales being placed on local authority child protection registers has increased, as well as a rise in adults at risk of abuse or neglect both in relation to same and different categories of abuse.

Education, training, and recreation

COVID-19 disrupted examination processes in 2020 and 2021 and so we do not report attainment data within this report. Furthermore, the introduction of the curriculum for Wales in September 2022 has resulted in several changes to the assessment processes and consequently to the data collection on educational attainment. Therefore, some of the indicators used have also changed or have been discontinued.

The average capped 9 indicator (interim measures version) was 192 points for children receiving care and support. Children who receiving care and support who were also looked after performed better than those who received care and support but were not also looked after. Nevertheless, children receiving care and support achieved notably lower capped 9 point-scores overall than the general population of children in Wales in 2023.

Regarding education and training, we have seen an increase in adult learning, vocational learning and apprenticeships from 2021 to 2022, and an increase in care leavers completing at least 3 consecutive months of employment, education or training since 2021 to 2022 as well.

Unfortunately, improvements need to be made in education and training. First, the school attendance rates for children receiving care and support is lower in 2023 than in 2019. Second, there has been a reduction in general education success rates since 2021 to 2022. There is a gap between children receiving care and support (regardless of whether they are also looked after) and the general population of Welsh pupils in the proportion of achieving the core subjective indicator (CSI) at Key Stage 3.

Other aspects of education and training have remained stable. For example, the percentage of economically active people who have at least one qualification.

Regarding recreation, there was a lower proportion of people receiving care and support reporting that they can do the things that matter to them in comparison to those who do not have care and support needs. Positively though, there was a higher proportion unpaid carers saying that they were able to do things that matter to them compared to non-carers.

Domestic, family, and personal relationships

There has been an overall increase in people reporting that they thought people in their local area treated each other with respect and consideration. However, there is a gap between people receiving care and unpaid carers and those not receiving care and support and non-carers.

This difference persists when discussing emotional and social loneliness. People receiving care and support and unpaid carers receiving support reported higher levels of loneliness than non-carers and those not receiving care and support.

Contribution made to society

There has been a reduction in the proportion of voluntary organisations involved with community activities, youth activities and children’s and families’ activities between 2023 and 2024.

Also, those receiving care and support report lower levels of volunteering than those not receiving care and support. And, interestingly, unpaid carers volunteer the most.

Lastly, there has been similar results since 2020 to 2021 regarding reporting feeling that the things people do in their lives were worthwhile. There continues to be the case that those receiving care and support are reporting lower than those not receiving care and support; unpaid carers are slightly higher than non-carers.

Social and economic wellbeing

This year we have seen the highest percentage of people aged between 16 and 64 who are equality act core or work-limiting disabled in employment than in the past 5 years. Additionally, we have the lowest proportion of 19 to 24 year olds who were Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) seen since data collection began, and an increase in adults aged 50 and over in employment since 2022.

While these are positive developments, people receiving care and support reported the most material deprivation compared to the other groups within the report.

Suitability of living accommodation

All social housing stock in Wales was compliant with the Welsh housing quality standards, including acceptable fails, an achievement that has been maintained from last year.

All groups reported high rates of accommodation suitable to their needs. However, those receiving care and support still reported a lower rate of suitable accommodation (89%) compared with those receiving care and support and carers receiving support (92%), highlighting the gap in experiences.

Unfortunately, there has been a small increase in the proportion of homeless households that contain dependent children. Additionally, the proportion of voluntary organisations offering housing support has decreased since 2023.

Introduction

Background

In 2011, the Welsh Government published its ambitions for the future of social care entitled the Sustainable Social Services for Wales: a framework for action which:

set out the priorities for developing sustainable social services in Wales
produced a framework for meeting the challenges facing social services in the next decade.
provides a system centred on the wellbeing of:
- people who receive care or support
- unpaid carers who receive support (for example, short breaks or respite)

Legislation supports Sustainable Social Services for Wales. The Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act (‘the act’) came into force in April 2016. The act is made up of 11 parts:

part 1: introduction
part 2: general functions
part 3: assessing the needs of individuals
part 4: meeting needs
part 5: charging and financial assessment
part 6: looked after and accommodated children
part 7: safeguarding
part 8: social Services functions
part 9: co-operation and partnership
part 10: complaints and representations and advocacy services
part 11: miscellaneous and general

Regulations, codes of practice and statutory guidance support the act. Local authorities, health boards and Welsh Ministers have duties under the act. They have a duty to promote the wellbeing of people who need care and support, and unpaid carers who need support.

The act has changed the way in which the social services sector delivers it’s functions so that:

people have control over what support they need
people can make decisions about their care and support as an equal partner
proportionate assessment focuses on the individual
unpaid carers have an equal right to assessment for support to those who they care for
easy access to information and advice is available to all
powers to safeguard people are stronger
there is a focus on a preventative approach to meeting care and support needs
local authorities and health boards come together in new statutory partnerships: these drive integration, innovation and service change.

Principles of the act

The principles of the act include:

the act supports people who have care and support needs to achieve wellbeing
people are at the heart of the new system by giving them an equal say in the support they receive.
partnership and co-operation drives service delivery
services will promote prevention; this will avoid escalating need; services will make sure the right help is available at the right time.

The act transforms social care in Wales and aims to improve people’s wellbeing. Care and support services across Wales will focus on:

the wellbeing outcomes that people who need care and support want to achieve
the wellbeing outcomes that unpaid carers who need support want to achieve
people’s rights and responsibilities

Measuring national wellbeing

The national outcomes framework:

describes the wellbeing of people who need care and support and unpaid carers who need support
meets the requirements of part 2 section 8 of the act
builds on the national wellbeing outcomes from the wellbeing statement
includes national outcome indicators that relate to eight aspects of wellbeing

These include:

securing rights and entitlements
physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
protection from abuse and neglect
education, training and recreation
domestic, family and personal relationships
contribution made to society
social and economic wellbeing
suitability of living accommodation

The national outcome indicators evidence whether the national wellbeing outcomes are being achieved. They provide a measure of the wellbeing of people who need care and support and for unpaid carers who need support. The national outcome indicators were set by Welsh Government. The Welsh Government collaborated with a wide range of stakeholders from across Wales. The full list of indicators, their source and most recent data can be found towards the bottom of this report.

The key objectives of the national outcomes framework are:

To promote the wellbeing of people who need care and support and unpaid carers who need support in Wales. Changes in service provision to promote wellbeing provides a focus for all services. This includes statutory services, the third and independent sectors. Services will work together to promote wellbeing in relation to care and support. Services will work with people who receive care and support and unpaid carers to:
- Understand what matters to them.
- Work in partnership to build on people’s strengths and abilities. This will enable people to maintain an appropriate level of independence. People may need appropriate levels of care and support to remain independent.
To show if services are improving wellbeing outcomes for people who need care or support. It will do this using consistent and comparable indicators. This will allow the sector to judge its performance. It will highlight actions needed to improve people’s wellbeing. It will do this rather than focussing on social services’ processes. The national outcomes framework will identify national priorities for improvement. It will also identify best practice, and the resources and policies needed.
To describe the national wellbeing outcomes that people who need care or support. These are the outcomes that people should expect to achieve to live fulfilled lives.This will give people a greater voice and more control over their lives. This will enable them to make informed decisions. This will ensure that people engage in improving their own wellbeing. Focussing on people’s wellbeing outcomes will drive better experiences and better services.
To measure if Wales is achieving the goals set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. There are 7 wellbeing goals set out in the act. These include achieving a prosperous, resilient, more equal and healthier Wales. The act will improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The act aims to do this both now and in the future.

Links with other frameworks

This national outcomes framework also links closely with the Welsh Government’s Code of practice for the local authority performance and improvement framework for social services in Wales. This came into effect in April 2020. It looks at evidence on the delivery of care and support, and support for unpaid carers across Wales. It uses evidence provided by local authorities across Wales.

Public Health Wales produces the Public Health Outcomes Framework, a sister framework to the national outcomes framework, designed to help understand the impact which individual behaviours, public services, programmes and policies are having on health and wellbeing in Wales. Where national outcomes framework indicators overlap with those in the Public Health Outcomes Framework, we refer readers to the PHOF. These are:

13. percentage of adults (aged 16 or over) who have two or more healthy lifestyle behaviours:
- not smoking
- healthy weight
- eat five fruit or vegetables a day
- no drinking above guidelines
- meet the physical activity guidelines
14. percentage of live single births with a birth weight of under 2500 grams
18. healthy life expectancy at birth
19. hip fractures amongst older people
44. gap in healthy life expectancy between least and most deprived

Previously the national outcomes framework was linked closely with the joint outcomes framework, but this framework is no longer being produced; any overlapping indicators are reported here.

About this report

The evidence from the national outcomes framework reports contributes to a larger evidence base for Wales, which includes data collected, local authority annual reports and other requirements, such as populations needs assessments. We will use this evidence to identify the national priorities for improvement. This will provide an understanding of the impact of care and support on people’s lives.

This report will include data up to 31 March 2024, where possible. Where this is not possible, the most recently published data will be included. We last published a report in Autumn 2024 containing data up to 31 March 2023.

Data quality and sources

Details of the data sources used to compile this report, and their quality, are available in the annexes at the end of this document.

There are 4 categories of people included in this report:

people with care needs, who have indicated that they receive care and support
people who do not receive care and support
people who have responsibilities as an unpaid carer
people who are not unpaid carers (non-carers)

These categories are not mutually exclusive. Therefore, some individuals may receive care and support and also have caring responsibilities themselves. Similarly, individuals who do not receive care and support may or may not be unpaid carers receiving support.

The National Survey for Wales is a survey of adults in private households, therefore, children under the age of 16 are not included. Also, adults living long-term in residential care homes are not included. This means a significant portion of people receiving care and support are not included in this report. Please note, data from the National Survey for Wales 2020 to 2021 onwards cannot be directly compared to previous years due to changes to the survey mode from face-to-face to telephone and online. This was due to COVID-19.

In addition, the questions used for determining people receiving care and support and carers receiving support changed. Therefore, they may not be comparable. However, data for 2018 to 2019 is provided for reference.

Due to cost pressures and falling response rates experienced by surveys in general, fieldwork for the 2025 to 2026 National Survey for Wales will not proceed. Work has begun on an online-first survey approach which is expected to run from 2026 to 2027. This will affect some of the indicators reported in future national outcomes frameworks.

Securing rights and entitlements

Everyone has a right to a voice and to be heard. People should have real control over their day to day lives. The rights of people who need care and support, and unpaid carers who need support, are central to the 2014 act. This wellbeing statement reflects that commitment.

Key wellbeing outcomes include helping people to be in control of their own lives. It also includes helping people to make decisions about their care or support.

Outcome indicators

Key wellbeing outcomes include helping people to be in control of their own lives. It also includes helping people to make decisions about their care or support:

percentage of people who rate the care and support they have received as excellent or good
percentage of people whose care and support has helped them have a better quality of life
percentage of people who feel they have been treated with respect
percentage of people who rate the people who provided their help, care, and support as excellent or good
percentage of people that received the right information or advice when they needed it
percentage of people reporting that they are in control of their daily life as much as they can be
percentage of people who felt involved in decisions about their care and support
percentage of voluntary organisations offering family welfare and children’s activities
percentage of adults who receive care and support receiving a direct payment

1. Percentage of people who rate the care and support they have received as excellent or good

People and unpaid carers must receive good quality care and support services so they can:

improve their wellbeing
live independently
achieve personal wellbeing outcomes

Figure 1: Percentage of people who rate the care and support they have received as excellent or good between 2018 to 2019 and 2022 to 2023.

Description of Figure 1: A line graph showing the differences between the proportion of people receiving care and support and carers receiving support who rate their care and support as excellent or good.

The proportions of people receiving care and support and carers who received support have remained similar, apart from in 2018 to 2019 where a noticeably smaller proportion of carers rated their support as excellent or good.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

2. Percentage of people whose care and support has helped them have a better quality of life

People who received care and support and unpaid carers who received support were asked whether care and support services have helped them to have a better quality of life.

Figure 2: Percentage of people whose care and support has helped them have a better quality of life between 2018 to 2019 and 2022 to 2023.

Description of Figure 2: A line graph showing the differences between people receiving care and support, and carers receiving support who reported that their care or support helped them have a better quality of life.

The proportion of people who believe their care or support helped them have a better quality of life was higher in all years for individuals receiving care and support than it was for carers who receive support.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

3. Percentage of people who feel they have been treated with respect

People’s wellbeing and personal wellbeing outcomes improve when:

they are treated with dignity and respect
they receive appropriate care or support
they are free from abuse and neglect
they are supported to live independently

The proportions of people receiving care and support, and of carers receiving support, who feel they have been treated with respect have remained similar over the past few years. For those receiving care and support, the proportions who feel they have been treated with respect were:

89% in 2022 to 2023
92% in 2020 to 2021

This compares with carers receiving support, where the proportions were:

86% in 2022 to 2023
86% in 2020 to 2021

Source: National Survey for Wales.

4. Percentage of people who rate the people who provided their help, care, and support as excellent or good

People who received care and support and unpaid carers who received support were asked to rate the people who directly helped, cared for, or supported them.

Figure 3 below shows the percentage of people who rate the people who provided their help, care, and support as excellent or good from 2018 to 2019 and to 2022 to 2023.

Description of Figure 3: A line graph showing the differences between people receiving care and support and carers receiving support who rated the people providing their help, care, and support as excellent or good. Individuals receiving care and support reported consistently higher percentages than carers who received support. The greatest difference between the groups was in 2018 to 2019.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

Of equal importance, unlike previous years, a notable proportion of unpaid carers reported their support was poor or very poor:

14% in 2022 to 2023
5% in 2020 to 2021
10% in 2018 to 2019

5. Percentage of people that received the right information or advice when they needed it

People need timely and accessible information to make informed decisions about their wellbeing. Information and advice should be available at the right time and places. This includes accessible information relating to care and support.

People who received care and support and unpaid carers who received support were asked whether they agreed or disagreed that ‘when receiving care and support in the last 12 months they had received the right information or advice when they needed it’. The proportion of people who received care and support who received the right information or advice has been stable over the last five years, with:

81% in 2022 to 2023
82% in 2020 to 2021
79% in 2018 to 2019

However, for unpaid carers who receive support this was more varied:

74% in 2022 to 2023
80% in 2020 to 2021
68% in 2018 to 2019

Source: National Survey for Wales.

6. Percentage of people reporting that they are in control of their daily life as much as they can be

“Voice and control” is one of the core principles of the 2014 act, and aims to put the individual, including unpaid carers, and their needs at the centre of their care to enable and/or empower them to shape the outcomes that allow them to achieve a sense of wellbeing and a good quality of life in terms of the things that matter most to them. Having one’s voice heard and listened to, and having control over daily life is seen as a basic right.

The proportion of people reporting they are in control of their daily life is lower for those receiving care and support, or support as unpaid carers. In 2022 to 2023 the proportions were:

74% of people receiving care and support
86% of unpaid carers
92% of people not receiving care and support, or support as carers

In 2018 to 2019, 73% of people who received care and support or unpaid carers who received support agreed that they were in control of their daily life as much as they could be, lower than in 2022 to 2023.

There was no data available for 2020 to 2021.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

7. Percentage of people who felt involved in decisions about their care and support

People receiving care and support must be equal partners in their care. This includes the design and the delivery of their care and support. Individuals know what is best for them. The 2014 act provides unpaid carers in Wales with equal legal rights to those they look after.

There has been a small improvement over time in the proportion of people who felt involved in decisions about their care and support, or support as carers. For people receiving care and support:

84% in 2022 to 2023
80% in 2020 to 2021
80% in 2018 to 2019

This trend is also seen for unpaid carers where:

82% in 2022 to 2023
80% in 2020 to 2021
78% in 2018 to 2019

Source: National Survey for Wales.

8. Percentage of voluntary organisations offering family welfare and children’s activities

The third sector complements statutory services. They provide services for the benefit of people and communities in Wales.

Voluntary organisations offer activities to support family welfare and children. These may include:

preschool provision
local centres providing services
adoption and fostering services
children’s rights organisations
services for disabled children

In March 2024, 6% of voluntary organisations were involved in children’s and families’ activities. This is lower than July 2023, when 9% of voluntary organisations were involved in children’s and families’ activities.

This data was taken from a snapshot in September 2024 and may not reflect the data held by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) at another time. Previous National Outcomes Frameworks took snapshots in March of the collection year; from 2024 these will be taken in September 2024 instead.

Source: WCVA.

9. Percentage of adults who receive care and support receiving a direct payment

Direct payments allow people to buy the care or support they need, for more information see this guide to direct payments in Wales. Local authorities provide adults who need care or support the money. This is one way in which individuals can take control over the ways their care and support needs are met.

The proportions of adults with direct payments used to meet their care and support needs has remained around 11%. It was:

11.3% in 2022 to 2023
11.1% in 2021 to 2022
11.4% in 2020

Source: Performance and Improvement Framework for Social Services.

Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing

We need good physical, mental and emotional health to maximise our quality of life. This is true for people who need care and support, and for unpaid carers who need support. This wellbeing statement recognises this. Being healthy and active can allow children to develop to their full potential. It decreased the likelihood of needed help from care and support services in later life. For adults, good physical and emotional health can help people keep their independence. Many factors contribute to mental health and emotional wellbeing. To improve the wellbeing of individuals, services must work holistically. Services need to work with the individual and see their life as a whole. Working together they can support the individual to achieve what matters to them.

10. percentage of people with high happiness scores
11. percentage of people with high life satisfaction scores
12. percentage of people with high mental wellbeing
15. percentage of children receiving care and support with mental health problems
16. percentage of children receiving care and support with up-to-date immunisations
17. percentage of children receiving care and support aged 5 and over with up-to-date dental checks
20. percentage of adults reporting their health in general is very good or good

10. Percentage of people with high happiness scores

When asked in the National Survey for Wales, people receiving care and support tend to report lower levels of happiness than both unpaid carers receiving support and people not receiving care and support or non-carers. Unpaid carers tended to report similar levels of happiness to non-carers and those not receiving care and support.

Figure 4: Percentage of people reporting high or very high happiness from 2018 to 2019 and 2022 to 2023

Description of Figure 4: A line graph showing the differences in reported happiness between people receiving care and support, carers receiving support, and those not receiving care and support and non-carers. High happiness levels were reported most in those not receiving care and support and non-carers. Whereas individuals receiving care and support reported the lowest proportion of people with high happiness levels.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

11. Percentage of people with high life satisfaction scores

Since 2018 to 2019 people receiving care and support have consistently reported the lowest life satisfaction scores. This contrasts with similar life satisfaction scores between people not receiving care and support, unpaid carers, and non-carers.

Figure 5: Percentage of people with high life satisfaction scores between 2018 to 2019 and 2022 to 2023.

Description of Figure 5: A line chart showing the differences in proportions of each group reporting high life satisfaction scores. The groups are: individuals receiving care and support, individuals not receiving care and support, carers receiving support, and non-carers. Some people may occur in more than one group, for example carers who also have care and support needs themselves.

Non-carers and individuals not receiving care and support reported similar, relative high life satisfaction across all years. A smaller proportion of carers reported high life satisfaction, and individuals receiving care and support, the lowest. Each group reported lowest satisfaction levels in 2020 to 2021.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

12. Percentage of people with high mental wellbeing

The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) was included in the National Survey to give information on mental wellbeing. Respondents were asked a series of statements and based on their answers a score of between 14 (lowest mental wellbeing) and 70 (highest) was assigned. For analysis purposes we grouped these scores:

below average mental wellbeing: scores 14 to 44
average wellbeing: scores 45 to 57
above average mental wellbeing: scores 58 to 70

Mental wellbeing scores were substantial lower in 2022 to 2023 than in 2018 to 2019 for all groups. In addition, people receiving care and support reported the lowest mental wellbeing scores with:

less than 6% in 2022 to 2023
16% in 2018 to 2019

The proportions of unpaid carers reporting above average mental wellbeing were:

13% in 2022 to 2023
25% in 2018 to 2019

14% of people not receiving care and support, and 14% of non-carers reported above average mental wellbeing in 2022 to 2023. Equivalent data was not available for people not receiving care and support and non-carers in 2018 tio 2019. No data was available for 2020 to 2021.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

15. Percentage of children receiving care and support with mental health problems

The Children Receiving Care and Support Census records the number of children over the age of 10 who are experiencing emotional or behavioural development difficulties.

The percentage of children receiving care and support who had mental health problems has been increasing since 2020:

in 2023, of the 9,285 children receiving care and support where mental health information was available, 18.2% had mental health problems
in 2022, of the 8,685 children receiving care and support in 2022, 18.1% had mental health problems
in 2021, of the 8,685 children receiving care and support, 17.3% had mental health problems
in 2020, of the 8,390 children receiving care and support in 2020, 14.2% had mental health problems

Figure 6: Percentage of children receiving care and support with mental health problems from 2018 to 2023.

Description of Figure 6: A line chart showing a general upward trend in the percentage of children over the age of 10 who receive care and support who have mental health problems, apart from a reduction in 2020. The graph has 2 data series: all children receiving care and support and children receiving care and support who are also looked after.

The proportions of both groups with mental health problems were similar in 2018 and 2019. For children receiving care and support, there was a small reduction in the proportion with mental health problems in 2020, but levels increased again from 2021 to 2024. For looked after children, there was also a small reduction in 2020, a peak in 2022, and another slight reduction in 2023. However, between 2020 and 2023, children receiving care and support and looked after had consistently lower proportions of children with mental health problems than all children looked after.

Source: Children Receiving Care and Support Census.

16. Percentage of children receiving care and support with up-to-date immunisations

When drawing up a health plan for children, the responsible authorities are required to ensure that the child is provided with health care, including any specifically recommended and necessary immunisations and any necessary medical and dental attention.

The rates of children receiving care and support with up-to-date immunisations has dropped since 2021. There was a slight rise in 2020 and a slight reduction in 2022. In 2023, information on immunisations was provided for 91.4% (16,000 of 17,515) children aged 5 and over.

Figure 7: Percentage of children receiving care and support with up-to-date immunisations in 2018 to 2023.

Description of Figure 7: A line chart showing the percentage of children receiving care and support who had up-to-date immunisations in 2018 to 2023. There was an upward trend from 2018 to 2020, rates were stable in 2020 and 2021, there was slight reduction in 2022, and a slight increase again in 2023.

Source: Children Receiving Care and Support Census.

17. Percentage of children receiving care and support aged 5 and over with up-to-date dental checks

The rates of children receiving care and support with up-to-date dental checks dipped considerably in 2021 and 2022 but then rose above previous levels in 2023.

In 2023, information on dental checks was provided for 86.6% of children aged 5 and over receiving care and support.

Dental services faced severe disruption during the pandemic because of necessary public health measures to protect staff and patients – including infection control requirements, physical distancing, and enhanced PPE – and so fewer people could be ‘seen’ in each clinical session. This may explain the reduction in 2021 and 2022.

Figure 8: Percentage of children receiving care and support aged 5 and over with up-to-date dental checks in 2018 to 2023.

Description of Figure 8: A line chart showing the percentage of children receiving care and support who had up-to-date dental checks in 2018 to 2023. There was an increase to a peak from 2018 to 2019, a downward trend in 2020 and 2021, followed by an upward trend in 2022 and 2023.

Source: Children Receiving Care and Support Census.

20. Percentage of adults reporting their health in general is very good or good.

There is a clear health disparity between those receiving care and support and those who are not. In particular, the proportions of people not receiving care and support reporting their health in general is very good or good were at least double those for people receiving care and support.

Figure 9: Percentage of adults reporting their health is good or very good in general from 2018 to 2019 to 2022 to 2023.

Description of Figure 9: A line chart showing the percentage of adults reporting their health is good or very good in general, grouped by: individuals receiving care and support, individuals not receiving care and support, carers receiving support, non-carers. 2018 to 2019 data was not available for people not receiving care and support and non-carers.

The proportions of unpaid carers and non-carers reporting that their health was good or very good in general were similar whereas there was a sizeable difference between individuals receiving care and support and those not receiving care and support. Comparing across years, there was also a reduction in proportion of people reporting good or very good general health in 2022 to 2023 compared with previous years, across all groups.

Note that some people may occur in more than one group, for example carers who also have care and support needs themselves. Due to a change in data collection methods, data for non-carers and individuals not receiving care and support was only collected from 2020 to 2021.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

Protection from abuse and neglect

Everyone has the right to be safe and protected from abuse and neglect. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act strengthens existing safeguarding arrangements for children. It has introduced a duty for agencies (for example, NHS Wales) to report situations where adults are at risk of abuse or neglect.

Supporting individuals to protect the people that matter to them is also an important wellbeing outcome. For example, by educating people to recognise the signs and risks of abuse and neglect.

Feeling safe in public spaces can increase the likelihood of an individual getting out. This would result in them enjoying their local community and feel a sense of belonging. This in turn reduces social isolation.

Outcomes indicators

The outcome indicators for protection from abuse and neglect include:

percentage of people reporting they feel safe
percentage of re-registrations of children on local authority child protection registers
incidence of domestic abuse
incidence of sexual offences
percentage of adults at risk of abuse or neglect referred more than once during the year

21. Percentage of people reporting they feel safe

The statement recognises that feeling safe is an important wellbeing outcome. In 2022 to 2023, 82% of people receiving care and support and 90% of unpaid carers reported feeling safe. However, people without care and support reported 93% and non-carers reported 92%.

These are higher than those reported in 2018 to 2019, when the majority of both people who received care and support or support as carers reported that they felt safe at 83% and 86% of people without care and support or non-carers. Data was not available for 2020 to 2021.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

22. Percentage of re-registrations of children on local authority child protection registers

It is important that we protect children who continue to be at risk, for example, when a child is at risk of potential repeated safeguarding issues.

7.5% of children placed on local authority child protection registers during 2022 to 2023 had been registered previously in the past 12 months. This is higher than the 6.2% reported in 2021 to 2022 and 7.4% in 2020 to 2021.

Source: Performance and Improvement Framework for Social Services.

23. Incidence of domestic abuse

Tackling all forms of abuse is an overriding priority for the Welsh Government. The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act highlights this.

In 2022 to 2023, there were 86,637 domestic abuse incidents and offences in Wales, a 3.44% decrease from 2021 to 2022, where there were 89,728 domestic abuse incidents and offences.

Domestic abuse and sexual offences data should be read with a caveat as it is known that a high proportion of offences are not reported to the police, and changes in recorded figures may reflect changes in reporting or recording rates rather than in actual victimisation. For these reasons, caution should be used when interpreting trends in these offences.

Source: Domestic abuse in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics.

24. Incidence of sexual offences

Tackling all forms of sexual violence is an overriding priority for the Welsh Government. The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act highlights this.

In 2023 to 2024, 9,464 sexual offences were recorded in Wales. This is a 5.1% reduction from 2022 (9,970), and lower than 9,914 recorded in 2021.

Source: Crime in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics.

25. Percentage of adults at risk of abuse or neglect referred more than once during the year

Some adults will be referred to social services more than once. This may be for the same or different categories of abuse. In respect of referrals for the same category, a lower figure as this indicates that what was done in response to the initial referral may not have been effective, or this is another perpetrator. However, for different types of abuse and neglect, it is encouraged that people are reported regardless of type of abuse.

The total number of referrals of adults at risk of abuse or neglect has increased over the last several years. However, there has been variation in the percentage of referrals made more than once. The total number of referrals of adults at risk of abuse or neglect rose between 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023, as well as the percentage of adults being referred more than once in a year either for the same category or different category of abuse or neglect.

In 2022 to 2023, 16,162 adults were reported being at risk of abuse or neglect during the year; of these 14.7% were referred more than once for the same category of abuse or neglect while 17.2% were referred more than once for a different category of abuse or neglect.

In 2021 to 2022, 15,950 adults were reported being at risk of abuse or neglect during the year; of these 12.6% were referred more than once for the same category of abuse or neglect while 15.80% were referred more than once for a different category of abuse or neglect.

In 2020 to 2021, 15,301 referrals of adults at risk of abuse or neglect were made; of these 14.8% were referred more than once for the same category of abuse or neglect and 16.8% were referred more than once for a different category of abuse or neglect.

Data was not available for 2019 to 2020 due to COVID-19.

Source: Performance and Improvement Framework for Social Services, Stats Wales.

Education, training and recreation

Learning and doing things that matter are important wellbeing outcomes. This is true for people who receive care and support and for unpaid carers who need support. The wellbeing statement recognises this. Children need to develop skills to help them achieve their educational potential. This may include progressing to further or higher education. As adults, a lack of basic educational skills can impact on people’s daily lives. We need skills such as reading, writing and numeracy to understand forms and bills.

Learning is not limited to children and their education. Adult learning and training allow people to further develop knowledge and skills. This can give people a sense of independence and improve confidence. It can also improve a person’s ability to get and keep a job. Having a regular income and staying out of poverty can have a positive impact on wellbeing.

Outcomes indicators

The outcome indicators for education, training and recreation include:

26. percentage of people reporting that they are able to do the things that matter to them
27. Key Stage 3 results for children looked after
28. Key Stage 4 results for children receiving care and support
29. school attendance rates of children looked after
30. learner outcomes in further education, work based learning and adult community learning sectors
31. percentage of adults aged 16 to 64 with at least one qualification
33. percentage of care leavers who have completed at least 3 consecutive months of employment, education or training in the 12 months since leaving care

26. Percentage of people reporting that they are able to do the things that matter to them

Achieving our own personal outcomes provides people with their own autonomy. Services should consider people’s individual circumstances. People know what’s best for them. Services should take their views, wishes, and feelings into account.

Individuals receiving care and support reported that they were less able than other groups to do the things that mattered to them. In 2022 to 2023, 60% of people receiving care and support reported that they are able to do the things that matter to them. In comparison, 86% of people who do not have care and support need and 86% of unpaid carers receiving support reported that they are able to do the things that matter to them. Interestingly, 77% of non-carers reported that they are able to do the things that matter to them; lower than that reported by unpaid carers. “Non-carers” includes individuals who may received care and support for their own care needs.

Data is not available for 2020 to 2021 or 2023 to 2024.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

27. Key Stage 3 results for children looked after

The Core Subject Indicator (CSI) at Key Stage 3 represents the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 or above. It is based on combined teacher assessments in English or Welsh (first language), Mathematics, and Science.

In 2023, 42% of children receiving care and support aged 13 or 14 years old who matched to the National Pupil Database (NPD) had achieved the CSI at Key Stage 3. This differed from children receiving care and support who were looked after (52%); and children who were not looked after or on the child protection register (33%). A higher proportion of children not looked after and on the child protection register achieved CSI at Key Stage 3 (37%) compared to children not looked after and not on the child protection register (33%).

This compares to 77% of all pupils in Wales who achieved the CSI at Key Stage 3 in 2023. A higher proportion of girls (79.6%) than boys (74.4%) achieved CSI at Key Stage 3 for both children receiving care and support and all pupils in Wales. “All pupils” refers to all children in Wales, including children receiving care and support, children looked after, and those on the child protection register.

Due to the cancellation of the normal examination period in both 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, data is not available for these years.

Source: Children Receiving Care and Support Census; National level results, by subject, year and gender.

28. Key Stage 4 results for children receiving care and support

The average capped 9 indicator (interim measure version) is calculated using Year 11 pupils’ best nine results from the qualifications available in Wales, including subject-specific requirements. Since 2018 to 2019 this includes English or Welsh (Language or Literature), Mathematics or Mathematics Numeracy, and a Science GCSE.

If pupils did not achieve any qualifications, they would receive 0 points, but if they achieved the 9 A* grades at GCSE, they would receive 522 points.

The average 2023 capped 9 indicator (interim measures version) was 192 points for children receiving care and support. This was higher for children receiving care and support who were looked afterm(230), but lower for children on the child protection register (190).

This compares to an average capped 9 indicator (interim measures version) score of 358 points for all pupils in Wales in 2023.

Due to the cancellation of the normal examination period in 2019 to 2020, 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, data is not available for these years.

Source: Children Receiving Care and Support Census.

29. School attendance rates of children receiving care and support

School attendance can have a significant impact on the attainment of education outcomes for children.

Figure 10: School attendance rates in 2019 and 2023.

Description of Figure 10: A column chart of school attendance rates for groups of children in Wales in 2019 and 2023. The 2023 school attendance rate of all secondary school children were lower than 2019 figures. However, those receiving only care and support and those receiving care and support on the child protection register had a greater decrease than the wider secondary school population, while those receiving care and support and looked after had a smaller decrease than the wider secondary school population.

Attendance rates for all groups of children receiving care and support were lower than attendance rates for all primary and all secondary school pupils. The lowest attendance rate for children receiving care and support was for those receiving care and support and on the child protection register.

There was no data available from 2020 to 2022 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education. 2023 attendance data was not available for all Welsh primary pupils.

Source: Children Receiving Care and Support Census.

30. Learner outcomes in further education, work-based learning and adult community learning sectors

Learning providers in all sectors are crucial to driving education standards forward. This indicator looks at the proportion of learners achieving qualifications. It includes general education, vocational, adult learning and apprenticeships.

Due to COVID-19, no data is available for 2019 to 2020, or 2020 to 2021.

Achievement rates for vocational outcomes, apprenticeships and adult learning are calculated by the Welsh Government; there are a number of general education achievement outcomes. In this report we use the percentage of learners at the 8 week point who go on to achieve 3 or more A-levels at grades A* to E, as the most comparable to achievement rates in other educational pathways.

There has been a decrease in success rates in general education between 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023, from 75% to 68% respectively. The figure in 2022 to 2023 however, is higher than the 65% in 2018 to 2019. Whereas there have been increases in success rates for adult learning, vocational learning and for apprenticeships:

success rates in adult learning increased from 82% in 2021 to 2022 to 84% in 2022 to 2023; this is lower than 90% seen in 2018 to 2019
success rates in vocational learning increased from 74% in 2021 to 2022 to 78% in 2022 to 2023; this is lower than 80% seen in 2018 to 2019
success rates in apprenticeships increased from 66% in 2021 to 2022 to 72% in 2022 to 2023; this is lower than the 81% seen in 2018 to 2019

Source: Learner outcome measures for apprenticeships and adult learning.

31. Percentage of adults aged 16 to 64 with at least one qualification

Educational qualifications can impact a person’s ability to get and keep a job. A job helps wellbeing as it improves a person’s ability to receive a regular income.

The regulatory framework supporting National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) was withdrawn in 2015 and replaced by the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), therefore, qualification estimates have been replaced with estimates on an RQF basis. Data for this item includes qualifications defined as other qualifications and trade apprenticeships, as well as NVQ (prior to 2022) and RFQ (from 2022 onwards).

In 2023, 94.9% of economically active people aged 16 to 64 had at least one qualification. This figure has remained stable over the past several years with 95.1% of economically active people in 2022, 94.9% in 2021, and 95.3% in 2020.

Source: Annual Population Survey/Local Labour Force Survey.

33. Percentage of care leavers who have completed at least 3 consecutive months of employment, education or training in the 12 months since leaving care

In 2022 to 2023, there were 586 care leavers in Wales who were categories 2, 3 and 4 young people and had left care in the preceding 12 months. Of these, 81.4% have completed at least 3 consecutive months of employment, education or training in the 12 months since leaving care. This is higher than the 74.1% of care leavers in 2021 to 2022, and 65.9% in 2020 to 2021.

Source: Performance and Improvement Framework for Social Services, Stats Wales.

Domestic, family and personal relationships

Having strong social networks, family and friendships can reduce social isolation. This is true for people who receive care and support and for unpaid carers who need support. The wellbeing statement recognises this.

Having a sense of belonging to a community can improve people’s confidence and self-worth. It can also reduce feelings of isolation by allowing people to engage with each other.

Outcome indicators

The outcome indicators for domestic, family and personal relationships include:

percentage of people reporting overall emotional and social loneliness
percentage of people who think that people in their local area treat each other with respect and consideration
percentage of people who feel they belong to their local area
percentage of people who think that their local area is a place where people from different background get on well together

34. Percentage of people reporting overall emotional and social loneliness

Emotional and social loneliness can impact upon a person’s wellbeing. It can impact on health, social networks and friendships. It can increase the risk of mortality and developing certain diseases. It can also influence recovery if someone falls ill.

People receiving care and support reported notably higher rates of social and emotional loneliness compared with all other groups, particularly those not receiving care and support. Carers also reported greater levels of loneliness compared with non-carers.

While the proportions of individuals reporting high loneliness have remained fairly stable for most groups, there was a notable rise of 5% points between 2020 to 2021 and 2022 to 2023 for those receiving care and support.

Figure 11: Percentage of people reporting the highest levels of loneliness in 2020 to 2021 and 2022 to 2023.

Description of Figure 11: A line graph of the proportions of people with the highest levels of loneliness in 2020 to 2021 and 2022 to 2023. Levels of loneliness were highest for individuals receiving care and support, and they were noticeably higher than for all other groups. Individuals receiving care and support had the lowest levels of loneliness.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

35. Percentage of people who think that people in their local area treat each other with respect and consideration

Feeling safe, participating and contributing to the local community ensures people’s wellbeing. People are more likely to do these if they feel respected by family, friends and services.

In 2022 to 2023, 77% of people receiving care and support and 87% of unpaid carers receiving support reported that they thought people in their local area treated each other with respect and consideration. This is compared to 90% of people not receiving care and support and of non-carers.

This is an increase from 2020 to 2021, where 75% of people receiving care and support and 84% of unpaid carers receiving support reported that they thought people in their local area treated each other with respect and consideration. For people not receiving care and support and non-carers, 84% of people in both groups reported that they thought people in their local area treated each other with respect and consideration.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

36. Percentage of people who feel they belong to their area

This question was not included in the National Survey for Wales for 2022 to 2023, therefore has not been updated. Updates will be provided in future reports.

In 2020 to 2021, 88% of carers agreed that they felt they belonged in their local area, more than any other group. This compares with 80% of people receiving care and support and 83% of non-carers and 83% of people not receiving care and support.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

37. Percentage of people who think that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together

This question was not included in the National Survey for Wales for 2022 to 2023, therefore has not been updated. Updates will be provided in future reports.

In 2020 to 2021, 63% of people receiving care and support and 71% of unpaid carers receiving support reported that their local area was a place where people from different backgrounds got on well together. This is compared to 69% of both people not receiving care and support and non-carers.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

Contribution made to society

Being able to engage and make a contribution to society are key wellbeing outcomes. It is important that people feel valued in their communities and in society. This is true for people who receive care and support and for unpaid carers who need support. The wellbeing statement recognises this.

These outcomes can make a person feel worthwhile. This in turn can help people take better care of their physical, mental and emotional health. A low sense of worth can impact on wellbeing. It can affect mental health and how people relate to friends and family.

Outcome indicators

The outcome indicators for contribution made to society include:

percentage of people report the things they do in life are worthwhile
percentage of people who volunteer
percentage of voluntary organisations offering community or youth activities
percentage of voluntary organisations offering disability activities

38. Percentage of people reporting the things they do in life are worthwhile

A sense of feeling worthwhile and valued can improve wellbeing. Feeling worthwhile can help people to take better care of their health. It can also help people to achieve their wellbeing outcomes.

In 2022 to 2023, 63% of people receiving care and support felt the things they did in life were worthwhile. This was substantially lower than people not receiving care and support (85%); lower than unpaid carers receiving support (85%); and lower than non-carers (84%).

The differences between groups in 2022 to 2023 was similar to 2020 to 2021, where 64% of people receiving care and support, 84% of people not receiving care and support, and 83% of carers receiving support and non-carers felt the things they did in life were worthwhile.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

39. Percentage of people who volunteer

Volunteering is a way for people to be able to engage in and contribute to their local community. Volunteering can bring many benefits to people. These can include developing new skills, social interactions and feeling valued.

In 2022 to 2023 it was reported that 27% of people receiving care and support volunteered their time, either formally or informally. This is lower than those who did not receive care and support at 30% and non-carers at 29%. People receiving support as an unpaid carer had the highest levels of volunteering, at 39%.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

40. Percentage of voluntary organisations offering community or youth activities

Voluntary organisations aim to support individuals. They can include registered charities, housing associations, credit unions, community interest companies, trusts and local community groups.

Community activities can include groups working to regenerate communities or improve access to services. They can also include community newsletters and development programmes. Youth activities are groups that involve young people. They can include youth centres, clubs, uniformed organisations, sports and cultural groups.

In November 2024, 15% of voluntary organisations in Wales offered community activities and 3% offered youth activities. This is lower than in July 2023 where 22% of voluntary organisations in Wales offered community activities and 5% offered youth activities.

Please note, this data was taken from a snapshot in November 2024 and July 2023 and may not reflect data held by WCVA on another occasion.

Source: WCVA.

41. Percentage of voluntary organisations offering disability activities

The voluntary sector can offer innovative ways of meeting three challenges facing social care: increasing demand; decreasing funds; and changing expectations.

In November 2024, the percentage of voluntary organisations offering disability activities was 2%. This is lower than in July 2023, where 3% of voluntary organisations offered disability activities.

This data was taken from a snapshot in November 2024 and July 2023 and may not reflect data held by WCVA on another occasion.

Source: WCVA.

Social and economic wellbeing

People’s social and economic status can impact their wellbeing. This is true for people who receive care and support and for unpaid carers who need support. The wellbeing statement recognises this.

Good quality, secure employment is fundamental to people’s economic, physical, and mental wellbeing.

High employment rates are vital to raising living standards. They also help to reduce inequality and poverty. Some people may face barriers to employment. Barriers may include health problems or a lack of skills. Removing barriers and supporting people to stay in work will improve people’s wellbeing. They will have the same access to services and opportunities as others. People will be able to play an active role in society. This will help them live healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives.

The social and economic conditions of an area can also impact on wellbeing. For example, children who are in need of care and/or support are more likely to live in the more deprived areas of Wales.

Outcome indicators

The outcome indicators for social and economic wellbeing include:

42. employment rate of adults aged 50 and over
43. employment rate of adults aged 16 to 64 who are Equality Act Core or work-limiting disabled
44. percentage of 19 to 24 year olds who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
45. percentage of materially deprived households

42. Employment rate of adults aged 50 and over

Older people may face barriers to employment. For example, health issues, or not having relevant skills. Helping older people to stay in work ensures they can play an active role in society. Staying in work can help people live healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives.

The employment rates for adults aged 50 and over have remained between 37% and 39% since 2020. They were:

38% in 2023
37.8% in 2022
38.3% in 2021
38.9% in 2020

The Office for National Statistics conducted a study into the reasons for workers aged over 50 years leaving employment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. They reported people experiencing long-term sickness and students as the reason for the rise in economic inactivity.

In 2022, the sickness absence rate for those with long-term health conditions was at 4.9%, its highest point since 2008 when it was 5.1%. Data for sickness and absence rates in 2023 was not published at the time of completing this report.

Source: Annual Population Survey/Local Labour Force Survey.

43. Employment rate of adults aged 16 to 64 who are Equality Act Core or work-limiting disabled

Good quality, secure employment is fundamental to people’s economic, physical, and mental wellbeing. Removing work-related barriers for disabled people also helps reduce inequalities.

‘Equality Act Core’ is defined as people with disabilities who meet the definition of ‘disabled’ in the Equality Act 2010. Respondents to the Annual Population and Labour Force Surveys are defined as having a ‘work-limiting disability’ if they answer that they have a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expecting to last 12 months or more, and that this condition or illness reduces their ability to carry out day-to-day activities a lot.

The 2023 employment rates of all people aged 16 to 64, and of those 16 to 64 and Equality Act Core or work-limiting disabled people were the highest seen in the past 5 years, and higher than pre-pandemic rates. However, employment rates for Equality Act Core or work limiting-disabled people remained noticeably lower than those of all people.

Figure 12: Comparison of employment rates of adults aged 16 to 64 between 2019 and 2023 between disabled people and all individuals.

Description of Figure 12: A line chart comparing the employment rates of disabled adults aged 16 to 64 with all adults aged 16 to 64, from 2019 to 2023. Employment rates for disabled adults were consistently and noticeably lower than for all individuals.

Source: Annual Population Survey/Local Labour Force Survey.

45. Percentage of 19 to 24 year olds who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)

Training, education, or employment is important for young adults aged 19 to 24. If a young adult is not in training, education or employment, this can impact their wellbeing and wider society. It can lead to increases in general health problems or crime rates.

In 2022, 14.6% of 19 to 24 year olds in Wales were NEET, which is the lowest proportion seen since data collection began in 2004 (figure 4). The 2022 figure is a decrease from 17.3% in 2021, and 15.6% in 2020.

Additionally, the rate in 2022 is the lowest proportion seen since data collection began in 2004.

Figure 13: Proportion of 19 to 24 year olds Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) between 2004 and 2022.

Description of Figure 13: A line chart showing the proportion of 19 to 24 year olds Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) between 2004 and 2022. The rate was broadly stable between 2004 and 2008, with an upward trend from 2009 to 2012 where it reached a peak of 23.2%. It then decreased to 15.1% in 2017 and remained broadly stable again until a noticeable reduction to a minimum of 14.6% in 2022.

Source: Participation of young people in education and the labour market.

46. Percentage of materially deprived households

A materially deprived household is one that is unable to afford certain things. For example, keeping the house warm enough, making regular savings, having a holiday once a year, and having access to the internet.

The rate of material deprivation for those receiving care and support in 2022 to 2023 was over double that of those not receiving care and support or non-carers, and noticeably higher than those for unpaid carers receiving support. The rates in 2022 to 2023 were:

31% for those receiving care and support
18% for unpaid carers receiving support
15% for of those not receiving care and support or non-carers

Data for 2023 to 2024 and 2020 to 2021 was not available.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

Suitability of living accommodation

Living in safe, satisfactory, and appropriate accommodation can have an impact on wellbeing. This is true for people who receive care and support and for unpaid carers who need support. The wellbeing statement reflects this.

Poor living conditions and overcrowding can have a negative impact on wellbeing. It can lead to poor physical and mental wellbeing. It can also impact children’s learning and development.

Targeted approaches are often needed to ensure that social care for people experiencing homelessness is available, accessible, and provided to the same standards and quality as for the general population.

Services need to work together to ensure accommodation is appropriate. This includes care and support services, local authorities and housing associations.

Outcome indicators

The outcome indicators for suitability of living accommodation include:

percentage of people reporting that their accommodation is suitable for their needs
percentage of homeless households which include dependent children
percentage of voluntary organisations offering housing support
percentage of social housing compliant with Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS)

47. Percentage of people reporting that their accommodation is suitable for their needs

In 2022 to 2023, 89% of those receiving care and support reported that their accommodation was suitable for their needs compared to 92% of those not receiving care and support. For unpaid carers receiving support, 92% felt their accommodation was suitable for their needs, compared to 90% of non-carers.

Data was not available for 2020 to 2021.

Source: National Survey for Wales.

48. Percentage of homeless households which include dependent children

Many different personal and social factors can contribute towards people becoming homeless. It can cause huge disruption and trauma to anyone involved. Children are especially vulnerable, often missing out on schooling.

In 2023 to 2024, 23.9% of all households assessed as being homeless contained dependent children. This is higher than in 2018 to 2019, where 22.7% of all households assessed as being homeless contained dependent children.

Data is not available for 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022, 2022 to 2023 as the data collection was paused due to COVID-19.

Source: Homelessness: April 2023 to March 2024.

49. Percentage of voluntary organisations offering housing support

The third sector complements statutory services. They provide services for the benefit of people and communities in Wales. They provide support, enabling people to support themselves, where appropriate.

In November 2024, 1% of voluntary organisations offered housing support, such as homelessness projects, care and repair schemes, housing advice services and tenant and residents associations. This is the same as the proportion in July 2023 (1%).

This data was taken from a snapshot in November 2024 and July 2023 and may not reflect data held by WCVA on another occasion.

Source: WCVA.

50. Percentage of social housing compliant with Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS)

Social landlords provide social housing. They include local councils and housing associations. Housing associations are not-for-profit organisations that own, let, and manage rented housing.

The quality of social housing in Wales can impact wellbeing. The WHQS was first published in 2002 and updated in 2008. Its aim is to ensure that all dwellings are of good quality and suitable for the needs of residents. The Welsh Government expects all social landlords in Wales to bring all their homes up to this standard.

In 2022 to 2023, 100% of all social housing stock in Wales was compliant with the WHQS, including acceptable fails. This was the same as 2021 to 2022, where 100% of all housing stock in Wales was compliant. This shows a considerable achievement in the improvement in quality of social housing, where ten years ago, in 2012 to 2013 only 60.3% of all social housing stock in Wales was compliant with the WHQS, including acceptable fails.

Source: Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

Next steps

Welsh Government will continue to develop and update the indicators. Many of the indicators under the heading of Education and Training have changed over the last few years, and so there is a need to reassess these indicators. New data will be available over the coming year, and so changes may be made to the indicators to reflect this.

The Welsh Government Social Services Performance and Improvement Framework offers additional data. We may use this data as indicators in the future. We will review this before the next annual publication. This may result in changes to existing indicators and/or the inclusion of new indicators.

Lastly, new guidance for Local Authority Social Services Annual Reports was published in May 2024, which will change how local authorities report on their services.

It is anticipated that together with the performance and improvement framework and this national outcomes framework, the new annual reports will form a rounded view of social services performance and outcomes in the future.