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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 referral from Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding Children’s Out of County placements be included in the Forward Work Programme.
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved at a future meeting with the following suggestions to be discussed: · Out of County Placements · Care for Vulnerable Younger Adults · Mental Health Issues · Working with Hywel Dda Health Board · Operation Nightingale update · Joint working with Young Carers and Adult Carers · Poverty · Leaving Hospital – discharge programme · Working with external agencies and greater transparency · Transitioning to new services including Portfield, Meadow Park etc. Children in Care post 16 support.
RESOLVED That the Committee notes the update report and the further updates to follow as work progresses be noted.
RESOLVED That the excellent work of the Children’s services be noted.
There were no Declarations of Interest received.
Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2023 be approved as a correct record.
There were no public submissions or items of correspondence received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the referral from Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding Children’s Out of County placements be included in the Forward Work Programme.
The Chair presented the referral from the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee that took place on 16 November 2023 requesting the Committee to undertake a review of the joint working arrangements between the Authority and Hywel Dda Health Board for Children’s Out of County Placements. The Committee supported adding the referral to its Forward Work Programme. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the referral from Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding Children’s Out of County placements be included in the Forward Work Programme.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved at a future meeting with the following suggestions to be discussed: · Out of County Placements · Care for Vulnerable Younger Adults · Mental Health Issues · Working with Hywel Dda Health Board · Operation Nightingale update · Joint working with Young Carers and Adult Carers · Poverty · Leaving Hospital – discharge programme · Working with external agencies and greater transparency · Transitioning to new services including Portfield, Meadow Park etc. Children in Care post 16 support.
The Chair introduced the Forward Work Programme to the Committee highlighting that the Service Improvement Plans were reviewed. He then asked each Councillor in turn for suggestions to be discussed. Councillor Alderman highlighted Child Poverty and the conference that was due to take place at Pembrokeshire College on 14 February 2024. He further highlighted concerns with Elective Home Education (EHE). The Chair referred to the Child Poverty Summit at the College and urged all Members to attend. Councillor Alistair Cameron again highlighted the Out of County Placements and the care for vulnerable young adults on leaving hospital. He added that there was not the resource available within the Authority and required out of county and highlighted the projects that were taking place. He further highlighted mental health issues that require collaboration with Hywel Dda Health Board and the links to poverty. Councillor Mike James noted the Joint working with Hywel Dda Health Board and the Authority particularly following Operation Nightingale. He further highlighted the joint work undertaken on Carers; particularly the excellent work undertaken for young carers but noted more could be done for adult carers. In response to a suggestion from Councillor James regarding the impact of school budgets, the Chair advised that this would be under the remit of Education and a referral could be made if appropriate. Councillor Danny Young concurred with Poverty and Mental Health Issues. Councillor Terry Davies noted the impact of going into hospital and the delay on discharge back to the community. Councillor Anji Tinley again highlighted Poverty and working better with the Health Board and other external agencies to increase transparency. Councillor Vanessa Thomas agreed with the suggestion from Councillor Davies regarding delay in hospital discharge and the inherent anxiety that this caused. The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Social Care and Safeguarding who thanked Members for their suggestions highlighting the common themes of Poverty and Joint Working and recommended focussing on key issues such as Hospital Discharge. The Cabinet Member suggested an update on the new Vanguard system being introduced and on Operation Nightingale. She highlighted the wide scope of Poverty and advised more understanding would be necessary. Councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall raised concerns on the closure of Tenby Avenue Centre and Portfield and the transition to the new services ensuring no users get lost from the service and no carers are disadvantaged in respect of transport and travel costs. Councillor Maureen Bowen highlighted child poverty and children in care post 16. The Chair thanked Members for their suggestions and advised that the updated Forward Work Programme would be finalised and then circulated to all Members of the Committee. In response to the suggestions that had been made, the Head of Children’s Services emphasised that child poverty was clearly a major concern noting that the Authority had one of the worst rates of child poverty in Wales. He advised Members that he leads on the poverty agenda for the local Authority noting that it was a whole County working group including representatives from all member organisations on the public services board. He added that the working group had made the decision from the outset that they would not focus solely on child poverty but would review poverty as a whole and, in recommending that, as this scrutiny committee dealt with social care for both adults and children he suggested that the focus be on poverty in its entirety. In response to the suggestion from Councillor Alderman regarding the summit, the Head of Children’s Services advised that this would not be a ‘talking shop’ and had been called a summit for a specific reason, as there would be presentations, information and awareness raising. Additionally, he advised that this was an invite only event to primarily include those that held positions of influence and/or responsibility, as they would be asked to make commitments on what they will do in the roles that they occupy. The Head of Children’s Services highlighted the Out of County residential placements and the St Ishmaels Unit noting that the unit could only support children up to the age of 18. He informed Members that work was being undertaken on a project of continued education to prevent young adults from having to leave the County to access continued education. He further provided reassurance to Members that support continued for post 16 care leavers, whether they remain in care or leave care but highlighted the challenges and disadvantages that they face as care leavers and young adults. The Head of Children’s Services further noted the overlap of poverty, mental health, care provision and welcomed the suggestion of care leavers being included on the Forward Work Programme. The Director noted a fairly comprehensive plan going forwards and suggested reframing of the Out of County Placements to be a review of children’s residential placements in general. He highlighted that it was not necessarily that the placement was out of the county that increased the costs, but the complexity of individual needs. He highlighted that the underlying issue of all the suggestions made was that of resources available. He emphasised that the level of multi-agency referral forms received had significantly increased when the resources had remained static. He further emphasised that evidence suggested that, in order to safely reduce the number of looked after young people; investment was needed in early intervention and prevention, which was not possible at this time. Therefore, all themes would need to be reviewed in the context of the resources that were available, particularly concerning children’s services. In response to a concern raised by Councillor Cameron regarding the increase in multi-agency referrals, the Head of Children’s Services advised that these were received from many sources. He emphasised that rates of domestic abuse had increased in the County, the Cost of Living crisis, mental health and poverty had exacerbated issues that families and carers might otherwise be able to manage which had resulted in an increase in referrals. He noted that over the last five years referrals had almost trebled, the last calendar year had seen close to 8000 referrals to the childcare assessment team alone. He further highlighted the need for additional resource in early help and prevention to reduce the number of children that come into care. Councillor Alderman made reference to the third sector provision that was assisting in the social sector and the huge support that they provide. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved at a future meeting with the following suggestions to be discussed: · Out of County Placements · Care for Vulnerable Younger Adults · Mental Health Issues · Working with Hywel Dda Health Board · Operation Nightingale update · Joint working with Young Carers and Adult Carers · Poverty · Leaving Hospital – discharge programme · Working with external agencies and greater transparency · Transitioning to new services including Portfield, Meadow Park etc. Children in Care post 16 support.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Committee notes the update report and the further updates to follow as work progresses be noted.
The Chair invited Councillor Alistair Cameron, as Chair of the Social Care Working Group to give a presentation on the work of the group so far. Councillor Cameron advised that only one meeting had taken place to date and highlighted that Councillors were discussing the budget at present and noted that Social Care was a major element. It was noted that the group was intended to provide a much deeper understanding of the issues faced by Social Care whilst ensuring that they did not duplicate the work of the Committee. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Committee notes the update report and the further updates to follow as work progresses be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the excellent work of the Children’s services be noted.
The Chair invited the Head of Children’s Services to give a presentation that had been delivered to the Corporate Parenting Board, which had been chaired by the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding, and the Service Manager for Children in Care. The Head of Children’s Services then highlighted the key elements as follows: · The four Service Delivery Managers and their work and responsibilities was highlighted. · Children’s Respite Homes for children with disabilities was being developed. · A new set of fostering allowance arrangements had been implemented. · The allowances for foster carers was being raised with Welsh Government. · The structure for payments to foster carers had been simplified following delays in implementing the All Wales aim to ensure our carers were not being disadvantaged. · Implementation of an improved offer of a Special Guardianship service allowing foster carers or kinship carers to become special guardians for children that they look after to ensure a no detriment policy financially. · An initiative-funding bid had been successful to secure dedicated staff to support the commissioning for children’s placements, which commenced in November 2023. · There were 32 children in residential placements and dedicated staff were now in place to negotiate contracts and scrutinise placements. · The All Wales organisation, Foster Wales represented all 22 Authorities in various work streams including fees and allowances around fostering. · Increased activity in recruitment and retention for foster carers was ongoing. · A staff poll had been conducted with managers in the department, which had demonstrated a much better department structure and culture than previously seen. · A step-up step-down pilot project had been launched in collaboration with the Fostering Network providing support for families in crisis such as short-term responsive respite. · Pembrokeshire was the first, and only Authority in Wales that was running this project and was aimed at keeping children out of care. · The Spotlight Awards had highlighted the excellent success achieved by children in care in collaboration with Education. These awards were being expanded to include all children in Pembrokeshire. · The Foster Carer Consultation group had been launched in Pembrokeshire. · Pressure from the National Transfer Scheme, the Home Office mandated scheme continued. · Lack of suitable and affordable move-on housing for care leavers. · Potential for a 0-25 service to reduce difficulties on transition from child to adult services was highlighted. · The demand for emotional and mental health support for all children was increasing year on year. The Head of Children’s Services emphasised the need for an improved understanding and appreciation of the Corporate Parenting responsibilities of the Local Authority. He highlighted that the traineeship for Social Workers had resulted in the potential for a full complement of Social Workers in the Authority in November. In response to a question from the Chair regarding kinship Carers, the Head of Children’s Services advised that these carers were related to, or had a close association with the young person who needed care away from their parents. The carer would be assessed for that child only and would not have other young people placed with them. The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding emphasised that the whole Authority were Corporate Parents to the young people in the Authority and that it was our duty to ensure the systems, policies and processes were in place to allow those children to flourish. In response to a question from Councillor Cameron regarding when the Authority cease to hold legal responsibility for a young person in their care, the Head of Children’s Service advised that where there is a shared legal order for a child, we were obliged to continuing supporting them up to the age of 25, should they request it. In response to a further question from Councillor Cameron regarding accommodation for vulnerable young people, the Head of Children’s Services advised that they were contributing to the development of a housing strategy in Pembrokeshire and were actively looking for a residential site for 16-17 year olds. The Head of Children’s Services highlighted that a member of the Housing Department could attend a future meeting to discuss the housing crisis with particular emphasis on care leavers. In response to a concern raised by the Chair regarding foster carers, the Head of Children’s Services highlighted that the retention and recompense for foster carers was a national issue. Welsh Government had requested Foster Wales to commission a paper on the fees and allowances position across Wales and the variances within each Authority. In response to a question from the Chair regarding an optimum age for foster carers, the Head of Children’s Services advised that there was no upper limit but highlighted the very thorough assessment that takes place, the need for a spare bedroom, to be broadly fit and well and to have the resilience for a difficult but rewarding role. He further emphasised the Foster Wales campaign that was currently taking place. Moved by Councillor David Bryan; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the excellent work of the Children’s services be noted.
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