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RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 8th December 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting. The Director Social Services referred to page 5 of the minutes and provided an update on the action to provide a written response to Members regarding points raised at the meeting. The Director shared that due to staff absences this has not been completed to date however, it is intended to provide the information shortly.
RESOLVED to: Consider and scrutinise the progress made by Children’s Services to implement Phase 2 of the Children’s Services Residential Transformation Strategy and the Phase 3 implementation priorities set out in Section 6 of the report.
RESOLVED to: · Review and consider the information contained within this report.
The Chair welcomed all Committee Members and Officers to the meeting and extended a warm welcome to Corporate Parenting Board Members who had been invited to consider item 3 of the agenda Children’s Residential Transformation Strategy. An apology for absence was received from County Borough Councillor G Stacey.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct, County Borough Councillor D Parkin declared a personal interest in respect of Item 4 Childen Looked After Prevention Strategy. “I am a foster carer.”
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RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 8th December 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting. The Director Social Services referred to page 5 of the minutes and provided an update on the action to provide a written response to Members regarding points raised at the meeting. The Director shared that due to staff absences this has not been completed to date however, it is intended to provide the information shortly.
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 8th December 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting. The Director Social Services referred to page 5 of the minutes and provided an update on the action to provide a written response to Members regarding points raised at the meeting. The Director shared that due to staff absences this has not been completed to date however, it is intended to provide the information shortly.
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RESOLVED to: Consider and scrutinise the progress made by Children’s Services to implement Phase 2 of the Children’s Services Residential Transformation Strategy and the Phase 3 implementation priorities set out in Section 6 of the report.
The Head Of Fostering Residential & IFSS presented the report which provided information in respect of Phase 3 of the Children’s Services Residential Transformation Strategy in the context of Welsh Government Policy that is intended to eliminate profit from the provision of care for looked after children. Members were taken through the report which sets out the progress made by Children’s Services to implement Phase 2 of the Children’s Services Residential Transformation Strategy and the Phase 3 implementation priorities contained within Section 6 of the report. In their scrutinisation of the report, a Member requested information regarding staff wellbeing and the support available to staff and also shared their concern regarding placement quality being compromised during the transition to not-for-profit models and how this was actively being considered. The Officer shared that in relation to staff wellbeing, there are strong links with education psychology colleagues and with the therapeutic families’ teams to support the trauma recovery model which is delivered in all of Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Children’s homes. A key element is providing clinical supervision to staff. In recognition of the secondary trauma that they can experience, they have access to reflective spaces and work with psychologists to reflect on the emotional impacts and practical support required. Members were informed that staff wellbeing is crucial to service delivery. In relation to placement quality, the Officer shared that the hope is to open more RCT Children’s homes to increase placement quality. As reflected in inspection reports, the service area are proud of the level of care provided within internal Children’s Residential homes. Members were also informed of the process of quality and monitoring visits in respect of commissioned placements alongside Care Inspectorate Wales (CiW). Another Member noted from the report that the insufficient supply of foster families remains the number one challenge and the impact it has on progress and queried whether Officers feel that this will be an ongoing challenge or whether the current recruitment initiatives will have a positive impact. The Officer informed Committee that there is currently a transform project ongoing with HDRC targeted at community foster carers as it is not felt that this avenue has been exhausted. The Officer also discussed marketing layering and the length of time it can take for people to become foster carers. A Member asked Officers to discuss their level of concern about turnover in residential staffing, and what impact this has on children. The Officer shared that it has been noted that some of the staff turnover has been within the first year which has been a concern, particularly in relation to expectations of staff. The service area are currently working on how to convey the realities of working in residential alongside ensuring the recruitment of individuals with the right value base to ensure they remain in post for longer. Members were also informed that the career pathways is another tool being used to support and retain residential staff. It is acknowledged that within the service area, children’s relationships with staff are key and the turnover is limited as much as possible however this is sometimes not in the control of the service area. Another Member referred to the RCT promises to care for experienced young people linked to the Welsh Government Corporate Parenting Charter and requested information on how the service area are ensuring that young people’s opinions are considered and their priorities are valued. The Director Children’s Services shared that as part of their work it is important to listen to lived experience of young people, parents and families and put into practice the learning and development gained from this. In particular, with looked after Children the Council has signed up to the Corporate Parenting Pledge and part of this is hearing from young people what their experiences are. Members were informed that at a recent inspection of a children’s residential home, wellbeing was rated as excellent which was pleasing to receive as an assurance. A Member noted the information in the report that states 24% of for-profit residential care providers, will reestablish as not-for-profit and sought Officers levels of confidence that the revised 2030 ambition for the sufficient supply of not-for-profit accommodation for looked after children in Rhondda Cynon Taf is achievable, given the current pressures around foster care sufficiency. The Officer shared that in RCT the figures are slightly different, and it is expected around 41% of providers will reestablish. There are a number of providers that the service communicates directly with and have shared they are making plans however the challenge is that there is no requirement for all providers to have this level of communication. The Director also added that uncertainty remains, and this is difficult to manage. Welsh Government have identified a process by which children who are in for-profit placements can ensure the stability of these placements when the legislation changes which is important for the wellbeing of children. The service area is working to develop the provision of not-for-profit availability in the area and shared details of the placement commission strategy which will be important to gain knowledge about what providers will transfer and any remaining gaps. A Member asked what contingency arrangements are in place if foster carer numbers do not increase in line with requirements and whether there is still a backlog regarding applicants’ medical assessments. The Officer shared the service area will continue working on recruitment and retention plans for foster carers and working closely with kinship carers with family placements always being first priority. The Officer shared that there is an interest in fostering within communities with 84 enquiries being received in recent months and it was pleasing to note that of those who left fostering the reasons were due to retirement rather than leaving to go other agencies. The Officer did however acknowledge that there is still likely to remain a gap between the number of foster carers and the number needed which will be reviewed as part of the placement commissioning strategy. In relation to the medical assessments Members were informed that a lot of work has been undertaken in this area and currently it is not known of any delays in this area. A Member asked how the Council is balancing recruitment with retention of foster carers, and what feedback is being received regarding the support offered. The Member also queried what support is available for kinship carers beyond financial assistance. The Officer explained that balancing recruitment and retention remains a significant area of focus, with particular emphasis this year on improving retention. Much of this work centres on strengthening the support available to foster carers. Recent developments include a restructuring of the staffing in the fostering service and the recruitment of four additional posts, enabling supervising social workers to hold smaller caseloads and provide more consistent support. The fostering offer has been reviewed to ensure it remains attractive and responsive to carers’ needs. The service has also worked with Cultural Services to provide additional benefits, such as free pantomime tickets for foster families. These initiatives support both recruitment and retention. Retention payments have been reviewed, and an annual awards ceremony is held to recognise the contribution of foster carers. Support groups are also in place to help build a sense of community among carers. Regarding kinship carers, the Officer confirmed that the service is committed to ensuring parity of support with foster carers. Kinship carers receive the same access to leisure benefits, occupational health services, psychological support, and financial assistance. A Member referred to the report’s indication that the cost of care has increased and that instances of profiteering had been identified. The Member asked what action had been taken in such cases. The Officer reported that, where concerns have arisen, Welsh local authorities have responded collectively to challenge the agencies involved. Residential care costs have also risen, and RCT’s finance department applies a robust financial assessment tool to scrutinise and manage any proposed increases. Members expressed their universal praise for RCT foster carers and their dedication to the children they support. A Member queried the number of vacancies within residential children’s homes and whether these would impact the service’s ability to maintain support levels. The Officer confirmed that vacancy levels have improved, with some gaps arising due to the opening of new residential homes. Recruitment is ongoing, and the service will be represented at the upcoming RCT jobs fair. There are longstanding vacancies in senior roles, and the career pathway for these positions is currently under review. The Cabinet Member for Social Care commented on the challenges arising from the not?for?profit agenda and shared examples of unintended consequences identified through joint work between the Planning & Development Committee and Children’s Services. These issues have been raised with Welsh Government and Care Inspectorate Wales, and the ADSS is now developing guidance, recognising RCT as an example of effective interdepartmental collaboration. The Cabinet Member noted the progress made in developing in?house provision, acknowledging the associated costs, and expressed hope that further funding would be made available by Welsh Government. They also emphasised the importance of continuing to support foster carers. Following consideration it was RESOLVED to: Consider and scrutinise the progress made by Children’s Services to implement Phase 2 of the Children’s Services Residential Transformation Strategy and the Phase 3 implementation priorities set out in Section 6 of the report.
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RESOLVED to: · Review and consider the information contained within this report.
The Director Children’s Services presented the report which provided information to the Scrutiny Committee regarding Children’s Services progress in implementing the Children Looked After Prevention Strategy 2021–2025. Members were reminded that under the Social Services and Well-Being Act (Wales) 2014, the Council has a duty to provide preventative family support services that promote family resilience and prevent family breakdown and that in December 2022, Cabinet endorsed the updated Children Looked After Prevention Strategy and the associated funding proposal. It was highlighted to Members that as outlined within the report the lifetime of this strategy has now ended and the Director outlined the intentions for the next steps. In reviewing the report, a Member asked what emerging risks officers are most concerned about over the next 12-24 months. The Director explained that many emerging risks are already referenced within the report but highlighted in particular the ongoing review of how the service supports families with a disabled child. The complexity of this work remains significant, and it is essential that services reflect the challenges families face. Increased demand, rising expectations, and reduced funding were also noted as key pressures. A second emerging risk identified was the impact on families of risks arising outside the home, including exposure to county lines activity, violence, and aggression within communities. A Member asked how resilient the prevention approach is to wider pressures such as poverty and mental health. The Director acknowledged that it is difficult to objectively measure the resilience of the service. However, many families supported by Children’s Services experience multiple pressures, including poor parental mental health and poverty. When a family is known to the service, staff work to ensure they can access all available benefits and support. A Member asked what officers believe has made the biggest difference in reducing the number of children looked after, and whether data on ages and duration in care shows any trends. The Director emphasised that the relationships staff build with families are a major factor. Trust enables parents to make changes, and strong working relationships are key. Data is available and reviewed by the panel. It shows that within MAGU, babies who become looked after tend to be in care for shorter periods and may be placed in parent–child placements or with kinship carers. Approximately 43–48% of looked-after children are aged between 10 and 15. The service is keen to further develop a sufficient and evidence?informed set of services for adolescents. A Member asked what feedback families have given about their experience of working with Children’s Services under this model. The Director noted that when new concerns arise, the experience is often very difficult and traumatic for families, and rebuilding trust takes time. However, positive feedback has been received regarding the trusting relationships developed through the model of practice. The Parent Advocacy Service also works with a group of parents who help the service better understand families’ experiences. Another Member asked how midwifery, mental health, and substance misuse services support the MAGU pathway and contribute to parent–baby separation rates. The Director confirmed that the approach is integrated, with involvement beginning as early as possible, sometimes during early pregnancy. Services work together to coordinate the appropriate support for families. A Member referred to the availability of five years of data from the current strategy and asked whether any analysis has been undertaken to compare re?entry to care with previous years. The Director advised that this analysis has not yet been completed, although they were aware of one case where reunification was unsuccessful and the child re?entered care. The service is keen to avoid such situations due to the trauma associated with re?entry for both the child and the family. As part of the evaluation, deeper analysis will be undertaken to assess long?term sustainability and the impact across childhood and family life. Following consideration it was RESOLVED to: · Review and consider the information contained within this report.
The Chair thanked Officers for the comprehensive reports and for Members detailed discussions and questions of the reports presented.
None.
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