Social care services for children will no longer have to pay standards fees if Welsh Assembly Government plans are approved.
Currently, children's homes, residential special schools, independentfostering services and residential family services all have to pay feesto be registered and inspected under the Care Standards Act.
But John Griffiths, deputy health minister, announced last week that theassembly government intended to abolish the fees. Legislation to enactthe change will go before the Welsh Assembly later this year and thehope is the change will take effect from 1 April 2006.
