The Group Manager – IAA Service and Safeguarding presented a report, the purpose of which, was to highlight the key aspects of service delivery from BCBC’s regional provider, Tros Gynnal Plant. She was accompanied at the meeting, by the Team Manager of Tros Gynnal Plant.

Detailed performance reports were included as attachments to the covering report as follows:

Appendix 1:     Bridgend Annual Advocacy Report 2022-2023

Appendix 2:     CTM Regional Annual Advocacy Report 2022-2023

Tros Gynnal Plant (TGP) provides a regional advocacy service in Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM). TGP has delivered advocacy services in Bridgend for many years and is a well-established provider locally, as well as being the largest provider of advocacy to children and young people in Wales.

The report’s background information confirmed that Tros Gynnal Plant (TGP) provides a regional advocacy service in Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM). TGP has delivered advocacy services in Bridgend for many years and was a well-established provider locally, as well as being the largest provider of advocacy to children and young people in Wales.

The Group Manager – IAA Service and Safeguarding advised that detailed quarterly performance reports were provided by TGP, as well as this provider also providing an annual report for both Bridgend locality and the CTM region. They covered the key service aspects of Issue Based Advocacy, and the Active Offer of advocacy.

Appendix 1 to the report reflected that there had been an increase in the number of people who had accessed the IBA service this year when compared to last year, including some individuals who had used it for the first time. The most popular methos of using the service was via the ‘self referral’ route, followed by Social Services referrals.

An ‘Active Offer’ (AO) of advocacy was a core element of the statutory service, while the majority of young people referred for AO in Bridgend last year, being aged between years 6 and 11.

The report confirmed that TGP continued to be responsible for facilitating young people’s participation and consultation groups in Bridgend, now called Bridgend Youth Voice Forum, or ‘BYV’ Forum. The aim of the group was to allow care experienced young people and care leavers to have a voice in wider Bridgend forums, including the Bridgend Corporate Parenting Board.

The Group Manager – IAA Service and Safeguarding emphasised that TGP continued to develop new and innovative ways for young people to provide feedback to help improve the advocacy service, for example, through the use of a QR code that they can scan from their mobile phones and which links to a short questionnaire.

TGP had noted that social workers are not always able to respond to some case communications, resulting in some young people’s advocacy cases remaining open longer than they need to be. This is noted in both the local Bridgend report (Appendix 1 of the report) and the regional report (Appendix 2). The volume of work being managed in statutory children’s services will have impacted and focused work to safely reduce caseloads, which will in turn, assist in improving responsiveness.

Following recent changes in BCBC Children’s Services, including the appointment of a new Responsible Individual (whose role is to promote, monitor and improve service quality), TGP had met and engaged with BCBC on a number of levels to further develop working relationships and improve awareness and understanding of referral processes for advocacy.

The Chairperson sought clarification of the methods by which we were promoting ways to encourage volunteers for TGP support in relation to the Independent Visiting Service, particularly with regards to promoting/advertising such opportunities.

The Team Manager, TGP advised that an Independent Co-ordinator post had been created for the purpose of social media, etc recruitment promotion for the above. She added that the increased number of volunteers would be matched to young people subject of referrals, in order in turn, to decrease the amount of time these individuals remain on the waiting list. The Team Manager TGP added that essential training is given to volunteers, in order that they may successfully undertake the work that comprises their role.

The Leader advised that he was pleased to note the improvement in numbers of children taking up advocacy services. This was essential he felt in order for their voices to be heard. This was crucial to older children also he felt, particularly those who had other challenges to overcome.

The Team Manager TGP assured Members that there were experienced Advocates in place who managed the situations of younger children through a number of initiatives and this also applied with anyone with for example a disability who was accessing advocacy services. There was a multi-agency approach to such services she further added.

Finally, the Team manager TGP advised that there was also a non-instructed Advocacy service, in addition to the mainstream service

RESOLVED:                            That the Cabinet Committee Corporate Parenting noted the report.