CHRISTMAS is traditionally a time of joy and happiness for families, but Christmas doesn’t mean it gets any easier for those who need support to live an independent and fulfilling life.

At some point in life, it’s likely we’ll all come into contact with some form of social services. It’s therefore important that the Welsh Government does everything it can to make sure the right support reaches those who need it most. Over the past year and half, we’ve seen much progress in this field.

We’ve also seen the continued roll-out of the highly innovative integrated family support services to bring specialist care for vulnerable children and parents. Some £4.5million has already been made available to local authorities to implement better services for vulnerable looked-after children, including £1.5million for breaks for carers of disabled children.

There are around 340,000 unpaid carers in Wales, usually family members or friends. These people really are the unsung heroes and at times like Christmas, we need to remember and recognise all the unseen work that they do. I’d therefore like to thank all carers across Swansea and wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Mike Hedges AM

Assembly Member, Swansea East

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