Merthyr Tydfil council leader Brendan Toomey said there are "significant challenges ahead for all who work within our education services in order to raise standards of attainment and achievement for our children and young people".
Some Silicon Valley companies, including Facebook, have closed small firms they have bought in order to set their talent to work on their own services.
"The decision to close the organisation for a week and save on salary in order to protect services was accepted voluntarily by the people who work in Barnardos, who are totally committed to the children and families we work with, " he added.