Cyngor Gwynedd's care scrutiny committee meet on Thursday, 29th
January, 2026. The agenda pack for the meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=394&MId=5671
The meeting will discuss the 'Keeping Families Together Strategy' co-authored by Sharron Williams Carter, the interim head of children's SS and Gwenan Medi Hughes, Sue Layton and Caren Brown.
A report from the Youth Justice Service, authored by Stephen Wood, will be presented.
Eighteen
months ago, senior officers of the YJS were criticised by HM
Inspectorate of Probation. The link to their report shows 'Page not
found' but an archived version can be found here -
https://web.archive.org/web/20240312162338/https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/08/An-inspection-of-youth-justice-services-in-Gwynedd-Ynys-Mon.pdf
An excerpt from the HMIP report –
Assessment work to identify and
analyse risks to the child’s safety and wellbeing was much weaker.
Practitioners, while generally accessing information well, did not use
the information from other agencies regularly. We identified failures to
appropriately consider or respond to exploitation concerns and suggest
this is an area that requires additional training, understanding and
focus by the service. Inspectors did not agree with almost half of the
risk classifications made by case managers.
In June, 2024,
the same time as the HMIP report, cyngor Gwynedd's cabinet met to
discuss the 'Performance Report for Children and Supporting Families'
presented by the former cabinet member for children, Elin Walker-Jones.
Main discussion points were the Small Group Homes scheme and the Autism
Plan. The agenda pack can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5221/Public%20reports%20pack%2011th-Jun-2024%2013.00%20The%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10
Aled Gibbard answered questions of the cabinet members.
Councillors asked what happens when these
children reach the age of 18.
Gibbard replied that the council no longer
have a responsibilty for these children.
In his latest report ,16+ Team (Leaving Care), the interim head of SS now states -
While the young person is under 18, they are treated as children in care.
When they turn eighteen they become Care Leavers and are the responsibility of the local authority until they are 25 years old.
If true, this change of policy and alignment with law is to be welcomed but exactly what support will be given to care leavers?
In recent meetings, the council has scrutinised safeguarding practices and repeatedly emphasised the importance of listening to the child’s voice. There have been assurances that this will be the number one priority through not only the SS departments, but all council departments
Is it not of concern then that the 16+ service report states -
5. Consultation
5.1 We have not consulted with service users for the purposes of this report.
It is not just the' voice of the child' that is missing...
But the child...
They can not all be refugees and even if they were - where are they?
Gibbard also relies on the Population Needs Assessment.
Some people remember the meeting of the care scrutiny committee on the 3rd February, 2022, which accepted the document.
Gwynedd's contribution to the North Wales Population Needs Assessment was ...incomplete.
Dafydd Meurig presented the document and concerns
were raised that few people were responding with requests for
information – surveys etc and that not all data was positive to the services...
The document along with the agenda pack for 2022 can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/g4539/Public%20reports%20pack%2003rd-Feb-2022%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10
If officers were not blaming residents they were blaming covid.
The data is worthless but councillors thanked the officers for their honesty and voted to accept the document anyway. Of the councillors present -
Councillor Eryl Jones-Williams (Chair)
Councillor Angela Russell (Vice-chair)
Councillors: Menna Baines, Beca Brown, Anwen J. Davies, Alan Jones Evans, Richard Medwyn Hughes, Gareth Tudor Morris Jones, Linda Ann Jones, Olaf Cai Larsen, Linda Morgan, Beth Lawton and Dafydd Owen.
Only one voted against with another abstaining. The rest voted it through.
Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...
