Of Mice And Men - Cyngor Gwynedd Council...

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Cabinet meeting on the 11th June, 2024. 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

First up was the Asset Management Plan and most notably the decision to spend money on the smallholdings the council own. Once upon a time, Gwynedd council considered smallholdings a valuable source of income but a past report showed concerns with low rents and arrears. A Task and Finish group was set up to investigate these concerns last year but does not appear to have yet met...

The Strategic Safeguarding Panel Annual Report 2023/24 was also discussed -
It is essential that Cabinet members are aware of the Panel’s work on safeguarding and are satisfied that the Panel has undertaken the required work in a thorough and conscientious manner.

The panel is chaired by councillor Menna Trenholme, but ultimate responsibility lies with the Director Of SS. Concerns with the safeguarding of children has come to the fore with the recent trial of Neil Foden - but the report only mentions this in passing -

There were also cases during the year of crime against children. Whilst legal proceedings and the courts are doing their work, it is important that, as social services, we consistently learn from these incidents through reviews and improve our services to ensure the safety of those who are most vulnerable in our community.

It will be difficult for the Director, Dylan Owen, to deal with many of the issues emerging from the Foden case having only recently joined the council. It is the same with councillor Trenholme.
Morwena Edwards, the former Director and Dilwyn Williams, former CEO of the council will have more knowledge of events in this case but will they be part of the review? A reminder that some of those who have failed children are still in post...

A Performance Report for the Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing was also given. The cabinet member, Dilwyn Morgan, was the cabinet member for children until 2022. His report mentions making more use of technology to improve the ability of Gwynedd residents to access support and care -

So no support for the elderly and disabled. The most vulnerable in the county left to care for themselves. Nothing in this report helps the issue of bed blocking in the local hospitals, either.

The Performance Report for Children and Supporting Families was presented by Councillor Elin Walker-Jones. The report focusses on the department's priority projects, namely the Autism Plan and the Small Group Homes Scheme.

The report gives an update on the house purchased by the council in Morfa Bychan for children with intensive and complex needs who are currently in very expensive out of county placements. The report mentions the doors are to be opened in September...

Questions from councillors on the group home schemes were responded to by Aled Gibbard, assistant head - resources. His answers show that little thought has been given to the project. 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. So what happens to them and where will these teenagers go then?

Gibbard made reference to Gisda, an organisation that supports young people in the area. But Gisda only have four flats which are presumably used by the youngsters they support. What happens to them?

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy
Robert Burns

Elin Walker Jones report references the Autism Plan and promises to "improve our provision and make it easier for individuals and their families to transfer between different services."

This is disingenuous of the cabinet member who knows better than anyone that there is no real provision for autistic individuals without a learning disability and never has been. How can you improve something that does not exist? 

The cabinet member for children was also heard to make a comment regarding autism and disability, but the comment can not be verified as the webcast meeting has not yet been made available to the public.

Regardless of the many concerns, the Cabinet members voted to accept the reports as requested by senior officers.

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

 

 

Social Worker Complaint - Cyngor Gwynedd Council...

The Director of Cyngor Gwynedd council SS departments has finally released the Annual Complaints Handling report for 2022/23. The report was written last year but only now has it been presented for scrutiny by the Care Scrutiny Committee that meet on the 11th April, 2024...

The report is co-authored by Marian Parry Hughes (childrens dept) and Aled Davies (adults dept). It is long and gives much detail that is not usually included in these reports. The report can be found here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g4975/Public%20reports%20pack%2011th-Apr-2024%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

Page 36 mentions a historic complaint -

 

 And another one on page 37 - 

Treating the complaint in this way may be unintentionally shutting down the pathway to the PSOW. The Ombudsman for Wales usually requires a complaint to have gone through the council's Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints process. Could one of these complainants have approached the Ombudsman directly? 

The Ombudsman has discretion to investigate matters of a historical nature... 

The second complaint was closed down because the complainant mentioned the c word - compensation. Gwynedd council would have known the process would be triggering for the young person and one hopes that this young person was supported during the process.

Both historic complaints were against the Arfon children's team. The senior complaints officer mentioned is also the senior safeguarding officer for the council and has held his post for many years - many of the now senior officers within the children's department have also been there for many years...

One notable departure from the department has been Morwena Edwards, the director of social services who left her post in 2022 - one year after the former CEO, Dilwyn Williams retired. Last year, the Head of Education, Garem Jackson, left his post citing personal reasons.

The Care Scrutiny committee will also discuss Derwen's short breaks service. This report is also written by Marian Parry Hughes and it is titled 'to obtain assurance that suitable provision is available to all who need the service' -

Amser Ni has been hugely beneficial but there have been barriers along the way to make sure that the provision in place meets the demand. Recruiting volunteers has been a big problem over recent years, this is a national problem, where more people are trying to seek paid employment rather than volunteering. 

It is disgraceful that such an important service is heavily reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.

The Autism Plan task and finish group is also on the agenda. This report is written by Vera Jones, the Democracy and Language Manager. Excerpts include -
...it was noted that there was a need to ensure that nobody fell through the net, e.g., individuals with autism only (no learning disability). During the discussion it was highlighted that support was available across all the services, which was crucial.

It is also reported that - 
Figures were presented that showed that over 50% of children who received an assessment did not receive a diagnosis following a thorough assessment process. 

If over half the children are not receiving a diagnosis then what are their issues and why were they referred in the first place?

Is the Derwen criteria lawful? Does it exclude certain cohorts of children and their parents/carers from accessing much needed support or provision? Many parents are coming to the conclusion that the autism team is not the innovative service claimed by the council, but yet another signposting service.

Interesting to note that this care scrutiny committee meeting dealing with the above matters has now been changed from a 'multi location' meeting to a virtual meeting only. The council has stated that this will only happen in certain circumstances...

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...