North Wales needs another 180 foster families to meet growing demand, councillors have been told.

Foster carers offer security, stability, and support at a crucial time in a child’s development, often providing their first experience of a positive family life.

An update report on the North Wales region of the National Fostering Framework – set up by the Welsh Government to allow greater collaboration – noted that 1,250 children or young people are currently being looked after by North Wales authorities, with 853 of those in foster care.

Aled Gibbard, Gwynedd’s service manager for children and families, informed care scrutiny committee members of the situation facing the county over the coming years.

“We need to increase (the number of our foster carers) by 30, perhaps 10 a year, to what we have been doing,” he said.

“Yes, this in itself is ambitious but I feel we have to set that ambition as that is the need that’s facing us. Whatever is the national or regional framework, it is up to us in Gwynedd to decipher what it means for us and what work programmes we need to implement.”

He went on to say that while private fostering agencies had a role to fulfil, they were also “challenging” to authorities such as Gwynedd.

“By attracting foster carers, out recruitment and marketing has to be spot on.

“They have the advantage of some national companies that can invest much more than us in those fields, so we acknowledge a need to improve recruitment so that we can compete.”

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