Cabinet to consider strategic plan for children’s social care in Bridgend

Bridgend County Borough Council’s cabinet, when it meets tomorrow, will consider a three-year strategic plan for children’s social care in Bridgend.

The plan sets out the purpose of children’s social care in the county borough and emphasises the importance of culture, behaviour, and values in delivering that purpose. The purpose in the plan is:

Working together to enable better outcomes for children, young people and their families via strong relationships, effective practice and timely and responsive services, which support children and families to live together (wherever possible) work on difficulties and safeguard children from harm’

The strategic plan sets actions for the next three years. As well as detailing the actions required, the plan also indicates the measures that will be used to understand progress. The priorities within the plan are:

• A stable, well- supported, motivated permanent workforce
• Strength based, social work practice which supports children and families to stay together (wherever possible) and safeguards children form harm
• Evidence based services and interventions
• Seamless partnership working at an operational and strategic level
• Listening to acting on the voice of children and families

The plan will address some of the significant issues facing our most vulnerable children and families and the services that safeguard and support them.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the fundamental children’s social care service is starting to become evident in Bridgend.

In December 2021, there was a 40 per cent increase in contacts into children’s social care compared to January 2021 when the country was in lockdown. Quality assurance work has also highlighted an increased complexity in the issues which children and families are presenting to children’s social care.

Bridgend has also faced challenges that have been experienced nationwide in the retention and recruitment of children’s social workers with vacancy rates across children’s services of around 30 per cent. The plan sets out an ambition, and set of actions to achieve, a permanent, well -supported, well-motivated workforce.

The plan and the underpinning culture and values aim to ensure that Bridgend is able to attract and retain social workers.

Cabinet will meet to discuss the plan at 2.30pm on Tuesday 8 February 2022.