The man who led the biggest inquiry into child abuse ever held in Britain has said there are still problems with the care system in Wales three years after his report was published.

Sir Ronald Waterhouse, who investigated prolonged child abuse in north Wales' care homes, made his comments as an organisation set up to help children in care celebrates its 10th anniversary.

My anxiety now is that there should be adequate provision of the right kind of help for children in care

Sir Ronald Waterhouse

The former High Court judge is the patron of Cardiff-based Voices from Care, which is run entirely by people who have passed through the care system.

He chaired the Waterhouse inquiry which published the Lost in Care report, uncovering "appalling mistreatment" of children over a period of 20 years.

A Childrens Commissioner for Wales to oversee youngsters' interests was introduced as a result of Sir Ronald's wide-ranging recommendations.

After the report was published in February 2000, Sir Ronald said: "I think anybody who reads the report will be deeply shocked, not only about the extent of the abuse but what actually happened to individuals."

Anxiety

Speaking ahead of a dinner to celebrate Voices from Care's anniversary on Friday, Sir Ronald said: "The trouble with being the chairman of something like that is that once the report is sent you have no further power or influence really.

"My anxiety now is that there should be adequate provision of the right kind of help for children in care.

"Not every child can be adopted or fostered. Many of them have very strong allegiances to their home backgrounds, or have siblings, or for some reason or another don't fit into the fostering and adoption pattern."

Sir Ronald Waterhouse still has care concerns

The organisation was set up by Debbie Jones from a single room in an attic.

She is now director of the charity which has an annual budget of �1m and looks after the interests of 3,000 children in the care system in Wales.

A recent Audit Commission report which condemned Cardiff Council's social services for failing children in the authority's care showed that the organisation is as necessary now as it was when it was founded.

Ms Jones said: "Obviously, we have no confidence in Cardiff local authority, but if you look across Wales there are certainly some showcases that maybe Cardiff for example could take some lessons from.

"But I think the biggest problem in Cardiff has been that they have maintained a mentality that 'it doesn't happen in this authority'."

Future

Teenager Matthew Taylor, who has been through the system, and is now volunteering at Voices from Care to help others, using his experiences.

Matthew, 16, has moved around different foster and care homes for much of his life, but is now settled with his sister and her family in Newport.

Matthew Taylor is looking to a brighter future

Like many children in the system, Matthew's education was badly affected by frequent moves from place to place.

He does not have any formal qualifications, but is hoping to change that in the near future.

Matthew said: "In the last two years I've moved in with my sister and I'm kind of trying to rebuild my life.

"My education has suffered more than anything. Obviously I've suffered emotionally but my education has been hit more because I have lost so much in schooling from being moved from children's home to foster placement.

"I'm now back with my sister so hopefully give me another year and I'll be back in college."

He added: "It's up to me to go back to college - I'm 16 years of age now, and I'm going to make something of my life in the future.

"Voices has given me a lot of self-confidence. I have stood up in conferences and done talks.

"I think I've come quite a long way in the last 18 months and I'm very confident now to do what I want to do."