Care for older and disabled people, children's services and safeguarding.
What councils do
Councils arrange care and support for older people, disabled adults and carers, protect children and adults at risk, and look after children in care. Much care is provided by private and charity providers the council pays.
Who decides
The Cabinet member for social services leads, and each council has a statutory Director of Social Services. Scrutiny committees examine how services are doing.
Having a say
Anyone can ask the council for an assessment of their care needs, or of their needs as a carer. If you're worried about someone's safety, contact the council's safeguarding team.
In numbers
Welsh councils plan to spend £1,045 per person on this in 2026-27.
It ranges from £918 in Monmouthshire to £1,337 in Ceredigion.
Children in care: 114 across Wales (2024-25).
Children in care who moved home three or more times: 8% across Wales (2024-25).
Children's assessments done on time: 85% across Wales (2024-25).
AGREED: that the draft Community & Adult Services Scrutiny pages of the Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26 attached at Appendix A be approved with the suggestion above added.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the flexible retirement of J be agreed in accordance with the Council's
policy subject to no other circumstances arising in the interim whereby the
employment was to be terminated for a different reason.
(2) TH A T the flexible retirement of J for 2 years be agreed, providing no other
circumstances arose in the interim whereby the employment was to be terminated
for a different reason.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To determine the flexible retirement application within the regulations and to
allow for eventualities that may not be known at the time.
(2) To achieve the necessary change to the employee’s working hours, to assist
service continuity, provide appropriate support to assist the employee’s transition to
retirement and to contribute to the work of Residential Services.
Vale of Glamorgan, Early Retirement and Redundancy Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the flexible retirement of M be agreed in accordance with the
Council's policy subject to no other circumstances arising in the interim whereby the
employment was to be terminated for a different reason.
(2) TH A T the flexible retirement of M for 2 years be agreed, providing no other
circumstances arose in the interim whereby the employment was to be terminated
for a different reason.
Early Retirement / Redundancy 2026
19 March 2026 Minutes and DN (MS)
Reasons for decisions
(1) To determine the flexible retirement application within the regulations and to
allow for eventualities that may not be known at the time.
(2) To achieve the necessary change to the employee’s working hours, to assist
service continuity, provide appropriate support to assist the employee’s transition to
retirement and to contribute to the work of Residential Services.
Early Retirement / Redundancy 2026
19 March 2026 Minutes and DN (MS)
AGREED: that the draft report on ‘Access and Experience of Adult Social Care Services for Older Ethnic Minority Communities’ (Appendix A) be endorsed for submission to Cabinet.
Cardiff, Appointment Committee - Director of Childrens Services,
RESOLVED – That
1. Suki Bahara-Garrens be appointed Director of Children’s Services at the spot annual salary associated with the post;
The selection process had been conducted in accordance with the appointments process and each candidate had been treated equally and fairly. The successful candidate was appointed on merit.
RESOLVED:
1. That candidates 85019, 33539, 84963, 85007 be invited for interview.
2. That the candidates be advised of the choice of presentation topic and that a maximum of 10 minutes will be allocated for the presentation.
RESOLVED: that the Charter at Appendix A – ‘Working Together to Protect Migrant Care Workers in the Adult Social Care Sector – A Charter for Local Care Commissioners’ be agreed, demonstrating commitment to safeguarding vulnerable migrant workers and to ethical care commissioning.
Cardiff, Appointment Committee - Director of Childrens Services,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the flexible retirement of A be agreed in accordance with the
Council's policy subject to no other circumstances arising in the interim whereby the
employment was to be terminated for a different reason.
(2) T H A T the flexible retirement of A without a specified end date providing no
other circumstances arose in the interim whereby the employment was to be
terminated for a different reason be agreed.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To determine the flexible retirement application within the regulations and to
allow for eventualities that may not be known at the time.
(2) To achieve the necessary change to the employee’s working hours, to assist
service continuity, provide appropriate support to assist the employee’s transition to
retirement and to contribute to the work of Adult Services.
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Cardiff, Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee,
RESOLVED that the Committee:
· Noted the contents of the report, appendices and information provided and provided comments, observations and recommendations to be shared with the Cabinet prior to its consideration of the report.
That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward relating to future challenges and priorities for 2025/26 for inclusion within the Committee’s work programme.