Adults Receiving Care and Support (ARCS)

The Adults Receiving Care and Support Census (ARCS) is an annual, individual-level administrative data collection submitted by Welsh local authorities to the Welsh Government. It covers adults aged 18 or over who have had a care and support plan at any point during the relevant financial year. The census is divided into two sections: 1. Core Details - completed for all adults who have had a care and support plan during the financial year. This includes demographic information, care and support plan start and end dates, reasons for plan closure, and information relating to safeguarding. 2. Care and Support Details - completed for adults who have an active care and support plan on 31 March. This includes information about the adult’s place of residence, types of care and support received, caring responsibilities, known carers, safeguarding status, and relevant events such as assessments, reassessments and reviews. The dataset can be used to understand the demographic characteristics and care experiences of adults receiving local-authority care and support in Wales. It can also support research into patterns of service provision, safeguarding, inequalities, caring responsibilities and pathways through adult social care. ARCS was introduced for the 2023–24 financial year and was developed by the Welsh Government in collaboration with local authorities and other stakeholders. Welsh Government’s quality report provides further information about the collection, coverage and data quality.