Agenda item

To present the draft Annual Report for 2018/19.

The Director’s Annual Report on the effectiveness of Social Services in 2018/19 was presented for the Committee’s consideration. The report is produced in accordance with statutory requirement and seeks to promote awareness and accountability for the performance and progress made over the past year in delivering Social Services within the Council as well as outlining the improvement priorities for the forthcoming year.

The Interim Director of Social Services and Head of Adults’ Services said that he would firstly like to thank Dr Caroline Turner, his predecessor who was in post for most of 2018/19, for her work and support over the course of the past two years. The Officer said that it was pleasing to be able to report on the progress made collectively across both Children and Adults’ Services in this the fourth Annual Report which Anglesey has issued under the Social Services and Well-being Act 2014.The good work in Children’s Services has culminated in an inspection by Care Inspectorate Wales in 2018 which showed good progress but that this must continue on order to further strengthen services and practices.

Over the last 12 months there have been a number of developments within Children’s Services of which the Service is proud including the underpinning of all work by the Improving Practice Quality Framework designed to govern and guide the workforce; the formulation of a Teulu Môn Engagement Strategy as well as the Stepping Forward Service which aims to further strengthen families who no longer require statutory support but continue to need guidance. The New Offer to Foster Carers employed by the Council has been implemented which it is hoped will increase the Council’s ability to recruit foster carers and assist them to offer the best support to fostered children.

Likewise, Adults’ Services have been able to make progress in their goal to support adults to remain independent in their own homes reflected in the opening of the new Hafan Cefni Extra Care Unit. In partnership with BCUHB, the Service has successfully commissioned new domiciliary care provision for residents from area based providers. Mental Health Support Services have strengthened their focus on helping individuals to improve their well-being through group health and fitness sessions and through engagement in sporting activities on their path to recovery.

Looking forward, whilst 2019/20 continues to hold further challenges for both Adults’ Services and Children and Families’ Services, it is considered that both services are well placed to meet them. The Social Services’ staff were thanked for their work throughout the year and it was acknowledged that without their commitment and dedication, the many achievements to which the annual report is testament would not have been possible.

In considering the Annual Report, the Committee was agreed that in its message it notes many successes from which the Council can take assurance and encouragement. The Committee recognised that Social Services is a complex area where the challenges of a changing demographic, growing demand and cost pressures can be felt acutely and that securing progress and improvement is therefore an ongoing commitment. In the detailed discussion, the Committee raised the following matters –

•           That under Measuring Quality Standard 3 it is noted that 79% of adults and carers and 81% of children in the Citizen Survey say that they feel safe. The Committee sought clarification of what these statistics say about the remaining 21% of adults and 11% of children and whether these individuals are at risk of slipping through the net and not being properly cared for.

The Interim Director of Social Services advised that the Citizen Survey allows respondents to remain anonymous if they so wish but in cases where respondents give their names and where it is within the Service’s ability to bring influence to bear on their situation then the Service will contact the individual(s) in question. It is important to note that although the Service can and does endeavour to improve the lives of individuals, there are instances where despite the input and best efforts of the Service, individuals may not feel safe 100% of the time which in the case of an older person might be due to anxiety about falling for example. The Service will listen to comments and where the opportunity arises will provide additional support e.g. to reduce the likelihood of a fall occurring.

•           In acknowledging that Social Services face many challenges, the Committee sought clarification of the main challenges facing Adults’ Services specifically.

The Interim Director of Social Services advised that the main challenge comes from the demographic change brought about by an ageing population and the potential increase in the number of people requiring social care which this might lead to in future. Getting the balance right between supporting individuals through preventative services via the community and recognising that some individuals whose needs are acute must be provided for appropriately is challenging. The challenge will be met most effectively through working in partnership with the University Health Board and with the Third and Independent Sectors and this is the approach going forwards with continued development of Community Resource Teams of health and social care to support people in their own local areas.

•           In acknowledging the financial pressures on Children’s Services as a result of the increase in the number of children and young people needing to be looked after, the Committee was concerned that Welsh Government may be bringing pressure to bear on local authorities to set a target for reducing the need for children to enter care. The Committee sought clarification of the Council’s position on this approach.

The Portfolio Member for Social Services confirmed that it is Welsh Government’s intention to work with each local council to appoint a target (albeit a soft target) to reduce the number of children in care. The Portfolio Member clarified that the Authority’s view was that such an approach was not helpful and could be problematic since although the Authority would prefer it if children did not have to come into care in the first place, it is committed as a corporate parent to ensuring that all children are kept safe, and that where there is a need they are provided for appropriately; imposing a target in this way could deflect from this responsibility. That the Authority would therefore not be setting such a target had been communicated in a meeting of Social Services Portfolio Holders in Cardiff last week at which the Welsh Government’s Minister, and Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services were in attendance. The Portfolio Member informed the Committee however that some authorities are going down the route of setting their own targets for reducing the number of children coming into their care

The Head of Children and Families’ Services explained the Authority’s current arrangements for reducing the number of children in care where it is safe to do so which includes reviewing the looked after child’s situation at least twice a year to see if there is an alternative option. Whilst the Authority has a clear strategy to enable children to leave care it is less able to influence the number of children who require care. At the time of the meeting with Welsh Government Officials, all the children looked after by the Authority were in care because of a court order which means they were judged to be at risk of harm.

There was consensus among the Committee’s members that setting a target for reducing the number of children coming into the Authority’s care was a step regarding which they had serious reservations and was not an appropriate approach to addressing the issue of the growing number of looked after children to whom the Authority has a duty of care as being among the most vulnerable individuals in society. The Committee was of the view that once a target has been set, there is a danger that achieving the target rather than the best interests of the individual then becomes the focus of attention. The Committee indicated that it was happy with and had confidence in the Service’s strategy for reducing the number of children in care, and was in agreement with the Portfolio Member that imposing a target should be resisted.

The Vice-Chair, Councillor Dylan Rees proposed and was seconded, that the Committee notes that it is satisfied with the Department’s reduction strategy plans for looked after children and believes that the Welsh Government’s attempts to introduce targets would be counter-productive. The Committee therefore supports the decision not to introduce targets. The proposal was unanimously supported by the Committee.

It was resolved –

•           That the Corporate Scrutiny Committee accepts and notes the draft Isle of Anglesey County Council’s Annual Director of Social Services’ Report on the Effectiveness of Social Services in 2018/19 and that further, it notes that it is satisfied with the Department’s reduction strategy plans for looked after children and believes that the Welsh Government’s attempts to introduce targets would be counter-productive. The Committee therefore supports the decision not to introduce targets.

•           That the Committee is satisfied that the report –

•           Captures the Council’s current position with regards to delivering Social Services

•           Accurately reflects its improvement priorities for both Adults and Children and Families Services for the forthcoming year

•           Reflects the Council’s accountability and responsibility with regard to its Social Services.

NO FURTHER ACTION WAS RECOMMENDED.