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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED That the Impact of Cost of Living Crisis on Unpaid and paid care workers report be approved.
RESOLVED That the West Wales Advocacy Strategy 2023-2027 which sought to shape the commissioning arrangements of Hywel Dda University Health Board, Carmarthenshire County Council, Ceredigion County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council in order to meet their statutory duties be approved.
RESOLVED That the Strategy for ‘Keeping Families Together’ and the progress of the second year of the three year strategy be approved.
RESOLVED That the data provided for safeguarding performance within Pembrokeshire for Quarter 2 of 2022-23 be noted.
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved subject to the above new items being included: Councillor Michael James emphasised his thanks to the Head of Childrens Services and requested that a seminar be arranged so that all Councillors were fully informed.
Councillor Nicola Gwynn declared a personal interest in matters relating to Agenda Item No. 5. - the Impact of Cost of Living Crisis on unpaid and paid Care Workers by virtue of her daughter working for a Care Company and being employed as a Carer.
Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Alistair Cameron The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2023 be approved as a correct record.
There were no public submissions or items of correspondence received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Impact of Cost of Living Crisis on Unpaid and paid care workers report be approved.
The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding to the meeting to present the update report to the Committee and she highlighted that this was a critical group of people and noted that the Carers Champion, Councillor Michael James was on the Committee. The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning first highlighted the Welsh Government definition of an unpaid carer being anyone of any age that provides unpaid support and care to a relative, a friend or neighbour who is disabled, physically or mentally ill or affected by substance misuse whilst paid care workers are staff employed by social care providers delivering care and support across the County. She then discussed the projects that had been undertaken across the County highlighting the following: · The Keep Warm, Keep well campaign launched in November 2022 with PAVS which had involved working with community groups. · Development of a Warm Welcome map. · Issue of ‘Warm Packs’. · Provided energy saving advice. · Additional funding for organisations to provide information and support. · Continuation of Free School Meals for eligible families. · Launch of period dignity pilot. · Young Carers ID Card. · Carers Recognition Card. · Carers Support West Wales new website launched. · Money Matters Service – Welsh Government funded. · Young Carers Padlet launched. She noted that the support for paid carers was limited at the current time but was being reviewed. In response to a question from the Chair on the Keep Warm, Keep Well campaign regarding the recognising of financial hardship, the Head of Childrens Services advised that the campaign was administered by PAVS and that they were working with a number of charities including Citizens Advice Bureau, Age Cymru etc. where initiatives already existed. The Chair sought clarification on the Young Carers ID card and the feedback received and the Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning explained that there was a Carers Voice Forum, supported by PAVS, where positive feedback had been received. The Head of Children’s Services emphasised that the energy and enthusiasm at the launch event for the Young Carers ID card had highlighted the support and need for the initiative. In response to a query from Councillor Alistair Cameron regarding the support provided being focussed in the best areas, the Head of Children’s Services explained that there were a number of working groups and support groups that were monitoring where the support was issued. He further explained that the funding provided had been delivered in a two phased approach to ensure the best utilisation. The first phase was the Warm spaces initiative; supporting local organisations to provide a warm space for residents, and in excess of 60 applications had been received with 58 approved for different organisations and community groups with feedback on usage requested. Phase two was to initially measure the usage of phase one and supported the continuation where appropriate together with the purchase of Air-Fryers as an efficient method of cooking for residents. The Chair welcomed Councillor Michael James who presented an overview of his role as the Authority’s Carers Champion. Councillor James emphasised his pride to be the Carers Champion and to Chair the Carers Strategy Partnership Board working with excellent Council Officers, the third Sector, Health Board and Education. He further thanked the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding for her attendance at the Board meeting and offered his support and help to any groups, associations or carers. He highlighted the Young Carers ID card providing support to young carers in being recognised for the role they play and how it provided a reason without explanation if their homework had not been completed or they were late for school. Councillor James highlighted the area of St Dogmaels with the Community owned White Heart where initiates including a meal for a fiver and children eat for free and 101 children had attended for a meal with parents/carers and this initiative had been continued. He further invited the Head of Children’s Services and the Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning to attend the event in the future to see how the initiative has supported the community. In response to a question from the Chair, Councillor James agreed that highlighting the recognition card to School Governors and Governing Bodies and identifying a Governor to work with a Teacher in schools to raise awareness of the recognition cards was important for young carers. The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding reiterated the excellent work of the Carers strategy board and the evident energy and enthusiasm it contained. In response to a question from Councillor Delme Harries the Head of Children’s Services and Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning both acknowledged the need for further promotion of the carers’ recognition card and the recognition and benefits that it provided. The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning further discussed a number of initiatives including Young Carers Day, Carers week, Connect platform and provision of respite breaks for Carers. She explained the recruitment of a dedicated resource funded for 12 months to further promote the campaign. Councillor Anji Tinley reiterated the excellent padlet that was available and suggested the QR code also be promoted. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Alistair Cameron The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Impact of Cost of Living Crisis on Unpaid and paid care workers report be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the West Wales Advocacy Strategy 2023-2027 which sought to shape the commissioning arrangements of Hywel Dda University Health Board, Carmarthenshire County Council, Ceredigion County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council in order to meet their statutory duties be approved.
The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding introduced the West Wales Adult Advocacy Strategy for 2023-2027 to the Committee advising that this combined Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and the Health Board and was to ensure high quality advocacy was available to those who needed it ensuring that peoples voices were heard and their rights were respected. The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning informed Members that the strategy was administered by PAVS and contained five key priorities: · Maintain and develop further our co-productive approach · Raise awareness of, and understanding of, advocacy · Ensure advocacy is easily accessible and equitably available · Ensure advocacy is of a consistently high standard of quality · Maintain specialisms and non-statutory forms of advocacy The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning explained that the Authority had a legal requirement to provide and commission independent advocacy and that the strategy had been approved by Carmarthenshire and was going through the approval process with Ceredigion and the Health Board. In response to a question from the Chair regarding collaborating with Pembrokeshire People First, The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning advised that, whilst they work closely with Pembrokeshire People First, they were not part of the Independent Advocacy Consortium. However, they were grant funded to support ‘local voice’ within Pembrokeshire and the Head of Children’s Services confirmed that they were working together on a number of initiatives to develop life skills. In response to a question from the Chair regarding an Open Event held in Ceredigion in March 2019 detailing good advocacy from the Chair, The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning explained that Covid had prohibited the development of the strategy. Additional engagement events had taken place across the County together with surveys and a formal consultation which had ensured that key priorities remained supported. The Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning responded to a further query from the Chair that the requirement was to actively promoted the advocacy offer which, following completion of the approval process, would be publicly available bilingually with a working group to oversee each of the objectives and reporting to the regional commissioning board. In response to a question from Councillor Cameron regarding the ongoing funding for the Advocacy Strategy, the Head of Strategic Joint Commissioning explained that the collaborative commissioning had allowed more effective use of the resources available. The contract had been awarded in April 2022 and during the first year they were reviewing the performance information, the legislative requirement to provide advocacy and the take up. She further advised that collaborating with the third sector providers had provided additional funding avenues. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Danny Young The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands was carried. RESOLVED That the West Wales Advocacy Strategy 2023-2027 which sought to shape the commissioning arrangements of Hywel Dda University Health Board, Carmarthenshire County Council, Ceredigion County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council in order to meet their statutory duties be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Strategy for ‘Keeping Families Together’ and the progress of the second year of the three year strategy be approved.
The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding introduced the Strategy for Keeping Families Together, formally known as Looked After Children Reduction Strategy. She stated that the Authority was now two years into the strategy with well documented and significant challenges. She advised that there remained a direct correlation between poverty and the cost of living crisis and the level of support required. The Head of Children’s Services highlighted that their aim was to keep families together rather than simply reduce the number of looked after children. All Local Authority’s were mandated to provide support for unaccompanied asylum seeker children and that 16 were currently being cared for. 15 were based in London with only one in the County. He stated that the Authority had been sending support from the County to London but had now recruited a Social Worker based in the South East of England to reduce the impact on Pembrokeshire resources. He clarified that resource remained a challenge with an 11% vacancy rate. The Authority was now building its own resource with trainee Social Workers as the University route was not providing any resource. There were three trainees due to qualify in October with another five the following year. It was recognised by Councillors that this was a long term solution. A further initiative developing a parent and baby multi-agency team would provide support from the twelfth week of pregnancy reducing the risk of interventions following birth as evidenced in a pilot scheme in Newport. The Head of Children’s Services reported further on Guardianship, which transferred the support from the Local Authority to a long term Foster Carer or other family members which provided increased stability for the young person. The Committee then debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · A property had been purchased in St Ismaels to provide residential care opening at the beginning of 2024. · Recruitment to resource the property was anticipated to begin at the end of 2023 following an invest to save bid. · Guardianship provided financial support for relatives/Foster Carers permanently caring for a child. · To assist recruitment and retention of Social Workers, the Authority had dispensed with the market supplement and introduced a development framework that provided a potential uplift payment three years post qualification. · Social Workers that qualified through the traineeship were required to remain with the Authority for two years post qualification. Councillor James highlighted the difficult working environment for all within the Directorate and commended the work that they were undertaking, all Committee Members concurred with those comments. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Alistair Cameron The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Strategy for ‘Keeping Families Together’ and the progress of the second year of the three year strategy be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the data provided for safeguarding performance within Pembrokeshire for Quarter 2 of 2022-23 be noted.
The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding introduced the data report from the Regional Safeguarding Board and an update from the Local Operational Safeguarding Group. The Head of Children’s Services presented the report and highlighted the protocol for reducing the unnecessary criminalisation of young people and the risk of young people in care committing offences led by Dyfed Powys Police. The Committee then debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · Only 57% of Elective Home Education (EHE) children that received an annual visit had been physically spoken to. · The matter was continually raised with Welsh Government as there were concerns that parents were not obliged to offer their children to speak during a visit. · Concerns were raised by Councillor Cameron that 25 reported incidents of adult abuse had taken place in care homes. The Head of Children’s Services clarified that this was suspected of being at risk and not at risk and that further information would be sought. · The introduction of a new system, Eclipse, had resulted in teething problems but was being rectified. · In response to a question from Councillor James, the Head of Children’s Services advised that Junior CADW was a board of young people supporting the work of the Safeguarding Board across the region. · Junior CADW had launched a video commenting on experiences and were holding the department to account. · Clarification was sought by the Chair regarding the number of children that had been in three or more placements within a 12 month period. The Head of Children’s Services confirmed that this was a result of the complexities and trauma that they had faced. He confirmed that suitable placements or resources were limited and that a series of short term placements were sometimes necessary whilst long term care was arranged. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Alistair Cameron The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands was carried. RESOLVED That the data provided for safeguarding performance within Pembrokeshire for Quarter 2 of 2022-23 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved subject to the above new items being included: Councillor Michael James emphasised his thanks to the Head of Childrens Services and requested that a seminar be arranged so that all Councillors were fully informed.
The Chair presented the Forward Work Programme to Members and the Committee then debated the contents and the key points were highlighted for inclusion: · A presentation on the work of the Citizens Advice Bureau for September. · Governors support for Safeguarding in Education presentation for September. · A report on the work of the Shared Lives Initiative based in Fishguard in June. · An update on the visits to Third Sector provision Care farms. It was recognised by Councillor Cameron that future meetings could be more project focussed and it was noted that this would be discussed further. The Chair invited Members to inform him of any further suggestions at any time. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Alistair Cameron The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved subject to the above new items being included: Councillor Michael James emphasised his thanks to the Head of Childrens Services and requested that a seminar be arranged so that all Councillors were fully informed.
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