The Head of Adult Social Care presented a report, that requested Council’s approval of the Director of Social Services Annual Report 2016/17, following the Presentation on this topic having been considered by Council at its July meeting.

This was the eighth Annual Report of the Director Of Social Services and was based on the Authority’s self-assessment of the performance and delivery of social services. The report was attached to the covering report at Appendix 1.

She explained that from October 2016, the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) changed how they inspected Children’s and Adult Social Services. Following the implementation of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014, CSSIW had developed a new framework which would ensure that authorities are inspected using the wellbeing outcomes of the Act. This placed an emphasis on hearing the views and voices of people and their carers who required care and support.

The Head of Adult Social Care advised that there were hyperlinks throughout the Annual Report that supported the information obtained within it, as well as providing a glossary of terms.

Paragraph 4.4 confirmed that the guidance for the report included a template, as well as setting out the sections in relation to the national quality standards for wellbeing, as referred to in this part of the report.

She added that the report demonstrated that services were generally effective in meeting the needs of people who require the support of social care. The report identified that services were improving overall, although areas had been identified where improvement was required and these were identified in the priorities for 2017/18.

As part of the CSSIW annual review of performance for 2016/17, quarterly review meetings were held with the Director of Social Services and herself and the Head of Children’s Social Care. CSSIW had also visited several service areas, joined specific meetings and completed short reviews on adult safeguarding and carers plus, a significant inspection of Children’s Services. The outcome was set out in the CSSIW Annual Performance Letter attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

The Head of Adult Social Care further added that on 20 July 2017, Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 received a report on the inspection of Children’s Services and associated action plan. As part of the inspection, which took place in January/February 2017, the Inspectors looked closely at the quality of outcomes achieved for children in need of help, care and support or protection. The findings showed that Bridgend is working hard to implement the Act and had achieved a lot during a time of significant change. They also reported that some of the practice they had seen varied and that more needs to be done in the areas of decision making, risk assessment, quality assurance and multi-agency engagement.

The remainder of the report confirmed the Head of Adult Social Care, outlined the whole service and more specific Priorities for Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care for 2017/18. These reflected the analysis of performance, as well as trying to address the increasingly challenging context: financial, demographic and level of need.

A Member referred to page 62 of the letter and asked if there was evidence to yet suggest that new processes and restructuring of the workforce, had led to an improvement in terms of foster care support for individuals in transition from children to adults.

The Leader advised that a Transition Team had been introduced, to allow for services to be provided in a more cohesive way than previous for children going into adulthood, and this included team working involving staff from both these areas, with children and families of individuals receiving care.

The Head of Children’s Social Care advised that the Transition Service Model referred to above had been agreed by Overview and Scrutiny, where as the Leader had confirmed, cross directorate working would be pursued to improve the transition proposals from adolescence into adulthood. The main thrust of the work would commence in the autumn she added.

RESOLVED:              That Council approved the Director of Social Services Annual Report for 2016/17.