Agenda and minutes

Apologies of absence were received from County Borough Councillors A J Ellis, D Evans, and G Stacey.

To receive disclosures of personal interest from Members in accordance with the Code of Conduct

Note:

1.    Members are requested to identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest: and

2.    Where Members withdraw from a meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chairman when they leave.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declarations were made pertaining to the agenda:

Agenda Item 4 – Children’s Services Residential Transformation Strategy

Ø  County Borough Councillor D Parkin – Personal – ‘I am a Foster Carer’.

Agenda Item 5 – Rhondda Cynon Taf Children’s Services Workforce Strategy 2021-2024

Ø  County Borough Councillor R Davis – Personal – ‘I work for the Open University, that was mentioned in the report’.

To approve as an accurate record the minutes of the virtual meeting of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee held on the 24^th October 2022.

It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 24^th October 2022 as an accurate reflection of the meeting.

Information is provided in respect of relevant consultations for consideration by the Committee.

Members acknowledged the information provided through the consultation links in respect of open consultations, Welsh Government consultations and those matters being consulted upon by the local authority.

Pre-Scrutiny – For Committee members to scrutinise and make any recommendations to the report before presenting to Cabinet.

The Director of Children’s Services began by advising Members that this report was being brought for the purposes of pre-scrutiny, before providing Members with an overview of Section 4, including advising Members that in January Children’s Services had brought forward to cabinet an approved Looked After Prevention Strategy, which set out the range of services needed to make sure families were supported well. Section 5 set out the current situation and the table at 5.1, broke down the settings where the 640 looked after children, were living with Section 5.2, providing a summary of RCTs existing provisions. Section 6 set out how the strategy had been prepared and summarised some of the work that had involved partners both in terms of other organisations, and across, council as well.  The evaluation of that work had led to a schedule of needs, and 3 subgroups would report to the steering group and coordinate the delivery work detailed in the action plan, found at the bottom of Appendix B. Section 7 provided a summary of the types of settings needed and Section 12, highlighted some of the sources of funding, although Members were advised a decision was still awaited from Welsh Government (WG), in terms of the £17.1 million that had been assessed, would be required to deliver over the next three years.

Members were asked to keep in mind, when scrutinising the report, the sufficiency duty, under the social services and wellbeing act, and the role of a corporate parent, to seek, for children in looked after services, the same outcomes that every good parent would want for their own children.  The Director of Children’s Services concluded that the Council was clear that it had a sufficiency duty and would need to change, and change quite radically, to meet that, and what was being sought in the strategy and related action plan, was to commit to evidence based needs and developing those settings, keeping an eye on quality and outcomes of young people's wellbeing, at the very centre, whilst doing that work.

A Member asked what happened if some for-profit organisations, exited the sector, was the Council making any specific provisions to ensure that these children could still be taken care of.

The Director of Children’s Services explained that at present, there was considerable uncertainty. A Welsh Government consultation has taken place in line with the intention to change legislation. From a provider perspective, there was currently a sense that there had been a lack of detailed information about the models of business that would enable them to make a clear decision, and a couple had already exited from the marketplace. As part of the strategy, there were 2 actions to co-ordinate. One to work with some of the known and trusted providers, to try and understand what their intentions were, around future operating in a not-for-profit model.  The other step was to make sure that all providers of residential care who were looking after RCT children, had those important relationships with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

For Committee members to receive a report on the Children’s Services Workforce Strategy 2021-24.

The Organisational Change and Transformation Officer advised Members that the purpose of the report was to provide information regarding RCT Children’s Services Workforce Strategy 2021-2024. The Strategy set out the Council’s response to the significant recruitment and retention challenges, being faced by the service, which were further exasperated by shortages in the labour market of qualified and experienced social work practitioners. Children's Services has a clear vision for its work force, that it is motivated, engaged and valued and that staff have the capacity, skills competence, and confidence to meet the needs of children and families. The strategy aims were outlined in more detail, in the report. Members were advised that a workforce plan had been developed which had focused on the seven themes highlighted in the Healthier Wales: Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care in Wales 2020-2030 and the areas highlighted included engaged, motivated and healthy workforce, and the steps taken to date, included the implementation of an annual survey and results from the April 2022 survey, attached in Appendix A.  The consultation had highlighted the need to ensure good communication and children’s services communication cycle had been created, attached in Appendix B, which included quarterly service update infographics. 

The Organisational Change and Transformation Officer concluded that the Services aimed to establish a seamless workforce model and were in the process of advertising for a lead manager for social work practise, as this would be a key role in the production, implementation, and evaluation of the model of practise within RCT children’s services. There was a strong commitment within RCT children's services and across the wider council, through the workforce strategy steering group, to achieve the aim of the workforce with sufficient numbers with the right values, knowledge and skills and everyone was continuing to work towards this in what is a very challenging workforce climate.

A Member sough clarification around the recruitment for the post of lead manager.

The Organisational Change and Transformation Officer explained that two people were shortlisted and interviewed but were not appointable at that point in time.

A Member sought clarification why 8 social workers had left, during the 6-month period between April 2020 and September 2020, as indicated on page 68 of the papers.

The Organisational Change and Transformation Officer noted that the exit interview process was now established, which was capturing exit data. A number of the reasons highlighted in the exit data included workload, work/life balance, as well as other reasons e.g., people wanting to work closer to home, so there was varied range of reasons.

A Member, acknowledging the exit interviews, asked if the data provided details if people were actually leaving the sector or were going to other local authorities, for example.

The Organisational Change and Transformation Officer advised that, although she didn’t have that data with her, they did capture where people leaving the service were going to, with a number going to other local authorities, and some leaving the sector, as it was important to know  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

For Committee members to receive an update on the hospital discharge pressures.

The Interim Service Director: care and support delivery, transformation and integration began by advising Member that the report had been prepared to provide an update on the pressures across the Health and Social Care system and the impact on hospital discharges and the actions that were being taken. Members were then taken through the background, at section 4, to the report, including being advised that there was a clear interdependency between Adult Social Care in RCT and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, in supporting people who had been in hospital to return safely to their usual place of residence or to the next stage of their care. In addition, people were supported to remain at home, rather than be admitted to hospital as a result of changes to the support people required. Members then received an overview, in respect of section 5, delayed transfers of care, and noted that a copy of the “Pathways of Care Delays” reporting system, was attached at Appendix 1.

The Interim Service Director: care and support delivery, transformation then provided Members with an overview of section 6, and a summary of the regional actions explaining that in July 2021, WG had launched its Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care Programme, which set out its expectations for health, social care, independent and third sector partners for the delivery of the right care, in the right place, first time. A copy of the Six Goals Policy handbook was attached at Appendix 2, before providing highlighting to Members with regards to the Discharge to Recover then Assess (D2RA) and Welsh Government Initiative: 1000 beds / additional community capacity.

A Member raised a number of concerns at the front door of the hospital, and asked where the step-down beds, were coming from.

The Interim Service Director: care and support delivery, transformation and integration, agreed, that there were difficulties at the front door of the hospital, and demand had increased there. D2RA may help to identify people early on, e.g., for adaptations needed at home, allowing time to put those arrangements in place, but people would have to have completed their rehabilitation before they could be assessed effectively, for a long-term DFG. whilst it was recognised this could make things difficult for the individual initially, having to accept temporary aids and equipment to meet their needs it would be inappropriate to assess for substantial changes to a property until the persons full potential was established and this would not always be on discharge from hospital.

Sometimes in those situations, a step-down bed could be offered in a care home, but not always what an individual would choose. The Interim Service Director: care and support delivery, transformation, and integration, continued that there was no definitive start date for step-down beds in Parc Newydd or Ysbyty George Thomas, however there were 2 Community hospitals in RCT, where people could be stepped down (YCC and YCR), where they needed complex care planning. In addition, there were a number of care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

The following reports are provided for the information of Members:

RCT Corporate Parenting Board Annual Report 2021/22

(For Members to acknowledge the information contained within these reports but any queries relating to the item can be directed to Scrutiny@rctcbc.gov.uk)

Members were advised of the report that was reported for information and were reminded if they had any queries in relation to this report, they should contact the Scrutiny mailbox.

To reflect on the meeting and actions to be taken forward.

The Chair thanked everyone for attending the meeting, which had been an eye opener, in lots of ways. Members were reminded that the next meeting of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee (Crime & Disorder) would take place on Thursday 8 December, at 5pm, and the next meeting of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee, would take place on Monday 30 January 2023, at 5pm.

To consider any items, which the Chairman, by reason of special circumstances, is of the opinion should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

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