Children’s charity Barnardo’s Cymru has announced the opening of a new community office in Caerphilly, which will become the main hub for it’s adoption and fostering services in Wales.
For the first time since the formation of the not-for-profit Barnardo’s Cymru Adoption and Fostering Services in 1980, the charity is moving out of Cardiff city centre and will be based at the Welsh ICE Campus, which also offers coworking space and business support for startups and small companies.
The move comes alongside the team’s transition to a blended approach to working, with the option for staff to work from home as well as in the office. The 1,000 sq-ft space is to accommodate the charity’s service provisions and free on-site parking is available for staff and visitors.
Barnardo’s also had commuting in mind when considering relocating, with both staff and families aiming to avoid travelling into the busy Welsh capital to work and access support.
Welsh ICE’s coworking spaces and community areas, such as its mindful safe space, are also available for staff and visitors to use.
As the new meeting point for current and potential adoptive and foster parents working with Barnardo’s staff, the community atmosphere and ethos played a major part in the decision to move operations to the Caerphilly Campus.
Barnardo’s Business Support Manager, Lisa Channon, said: “As our national Cardiff office was closing, we saw the opportunity to get closer to the families we work with and place ourselves within a local community.
“Welsh ICE really appealed to us for it’s collaborative, close-knit feel and this kind of environment will be ideal for the work we do in fostering and adoption. We want the families we invite in to access our services to feel welcomed and comfortable and I think our new space offers just that.”
Llinos Neale, Welsh ICE’s Community Manager, said: “We pride ourselves on being an open and welcoming community, so to hear that it was that atmosphere which influenced Barnardo’s to choose our space is very rewarding.
“The fact that Barnardo’s has moved to a more flexible way of working is also a further example of how the workplace is changing. The pandemic has definitely shown us that the standard office nine-to-five is not the only way to work, and it’s reflected in the enquiries for our workspace we are getting from a range of organisations of all sizes.
“We’re proud to be the new home of such an incredible charity which does such important work throughout Wales.”
