Mr. Bernard Gloster:

Yes. The Deputy has previously indicated concern to me. It would be of no benefit to the committee if I was not on the level with it. Pressure on care placements, both foster care and residential, leads to placement disruption and breakdown. That does not reflect on the people providing the care but on the context from which children come to us to present for care, including the level of trauma they have experienced and the level of influence in their lives. I will be careful not to engage in stereotyping because we have many children in care with good things going for them. However, many of them are now coming from a context where there are serious influences in the context of to addiction, crime and insidious forms of abuse. When they become safe, it inevitably leads to various expressions of that, which challenges their carers. Foster carers are telling us they need more support and, rather than saying we will give this or that for the sake of looking like we gave a support, we are focused in the coming weeks of ascertaining what is the best level of support we can give them and producing a plan to deliver it.