CARE workers demanded today that the Welsh government find the money to ensure private profit is removed from the care of looked-after children in Wales.

Care union Unison was responding to a report from the Health and Social Care Committee which said more work was needed to assure care providers of plans to eliminate profit.

Unison Cymru head of social care Mark Turner said: “At a time when public finances are under pressure, it is wrong that providers can make profits as high as 20 per cent.

“The Welsh government must find the funding to reassure local authorities, workers and children, and to stick to their word by removing profit from the sector.”

But despite the misgivings expressed by the industry a majority of the scrutiny committee did support the principle of moving to a not-for-profit system.

A Welsh government spokesperson said it would respond to the report but pointed out that Wales is the first part of Britain to introduce legislation to remove private profit from the care of looked-after children.