To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Councillor DBF White declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Advocacy – Adults and Children’s Services as he was involved in putting together a café for those with mental health issues at Westward Community Centre which they have free of charge.

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 of the 12/07/2018

RESOLVED:           That the minutes of the Subject Overview and scrutiny Committee 2 of 12 July 2018 be accepted as a true and accurate record subject to the name of Councillor J Gebbie being added to the list of Councillors present.     

The Scrutiny Officer reported on items which had been prioritised by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee which included the next item delegated to this Committee to consider which is on the topic of Additional Learning Needs.  She stated that the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 at its meeting on 5 September 2018 had requested that they be invited to the meeting for completeness and to assist this Committee with its scrutiny of the topic. 

The Scrutiny Officer presented a list of further potential items for comment and prioritisation and requested the Committee identify any further items for consideration using the pre-determined criteria form. 

Conclusions

(1)  That the Committee approved the feedback from the previous meeting of this Committee and noted the list of responses including any still outstanding;

(2)  The Committee noted that it had been delegated an item on Additional Learning Needs for its next meeting and that members of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 be invited to attend;

(3)  Identified further detail required for other items in the overall FWP at Table B of Appendix B;

Considered the completed criteria forms at Appendix C and determined whether it wished to add these proposed items to the FWP.

Invitees

Cllr Phil White, Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help;

Susan Cooper Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing;

Jacqueline Davies, Head of Adult Social Care;

Laura Kinsey, Head of Children’s Social Care;

Richard Thomas, Strategic Planning and Commissioning Officer;

Richard Jones, CEO – Mental Health Matters Wales

The Head of Adult Social Care reported that the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 introduced a requirement on local authorities to ensure access is given to advocacy services and support is available to engage and participate when local authorities are exercising their statutory duties in relation to them.  Local authorities are also required to arrange an independent professional advocate to facilitate the involvement of individuals in certain circumstances.  She stated that an advocate is defined as an appropriate individual who can speak on behalf of someone who is facing barriers to communicating, understanding, weighing-up, or deciding on information related to services that they receive. 

The Head of Adult Social Care informed the Committee that the Council had secured the support of the Golden Thread Advocacy Programme (GTAP) to assist in establishing a pilot advocacy scheme for adults and.  GTAP had also supported the Council in engaging with local stakeholders to co-produce a new and fully compliant service model for independent professional advocacy.  This was tested in a pilot IPA scheme for Adult Social Care which operated a Hub & Spoke approach using two independent service providers, linking with a wide range of support agencies.  The Head of Adult Social Care outlined the referral routes and the range of advocacy services in the Advocacy Hub which had been developed to enable service users to access the correct services for their needs.  She stated that the pilot service had been taken up by 62 service users requiring independent professional advocacy.

The Head of Children’s Social Care informed the Committee that advocacy for children and young people had been commissioned through Western Bay and the existing provider for those services in Bridgend is delivered by Tros Gynnal Plant.  She stated that while all partners are working to increase referrals and service delivery, the Welsh Government prescribed level of service is 528 individuals receiving 6605 hours of Independent Professional Advocacy, which equated to 12.4 users per month.  An improvement in the number of referrals is being seen.  Discussions are taking place with Cwm Taf Health Board on the commissioning of advocacy services in advance of the new health board arrangements being implemented. 

The Committee referred to the specific support available to children and young people requiring advocacy services who have had a diagnosis and questioned what advocacy support is available to people awaiting diagnosis.  Ms Megan Davies of Tros Gynnal Plant informed the Committee that access to advocacy would be dependent on whether someone was unhappy with a diagnosis.  Advocacy would be provided to a young person awaiting a diagnosis and not to the parents.  The Strategic Planning and Commissioning Officer informed the Committee that the Council provides support to parent carers and there is scope to provide advocacy to support families.  He stated that the Community Health Council advocacy complaints service would deal with complaints if there were delays in an individual receiving a diagnosis.  The Chief Executive of Mental Health Matters Wales informed the Committee that the advocacy hub will take  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.