Criteria For Derwen - Cyngor Gwynedd Council's Service For Disabled Children...

The admission by one of cyngor Gwynedd's interim heads of the children and families department that their reporting is not 'completely accurate' comes as no surprise. There have been questions to the integrity of the council's reports going back many years...

One early example is the Annual Report on the handling of complaints by Adult, Health and Well-being Department and the Children and Family Support Department for 2015-2016, written by the former workforce support manager. 
That report can be found here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/s7887/Adroddiad%20Blynyddol%202015-16%20Sterfynol.pdf

The officer had personally led at least one of the investigations highlighted in her report which has been publicly called out as a whitewash. 

A Stage 2 complaint was raised. The investigator asked the customer care/complaint officers who the senior complaints manager was? Nobody knew...
Dafydd Paul, the council's senior safeguarding officer, then became active in the role from 2018. 

One recommendation from the Lost In Care report states - Every social services authority should be required to appoint an appropriately qualified or experienced children's complaints officer.

Since then, concerns to the integrity of the SS complaints handling reports have been raised with the council's democratic service, scrutiny committees, councillors and even cabinet members - all ignored. 
A question to possible data manipulation has also been ignored...

Cyngor Gwynedd has also had issues with completing recommendations for improvement and has been caught misleading government agencies in the past. A reminder that an investigation by the agencies will cease if a local authority accepts the recommendations...

Councillor Gwynfor Owen has recently raised questions of the criteria used to access Derwen, Gwynedd's service for disabled children. It is presumed the councillor was not content with the officer's response. Nor should he be. The 'criteria' has been called out as unlawful and discriminatory in the past. 

Pre pandemic, the PSOW made recommendations - agreed to by the council that - 
70. The Council should review its Derwen policy to ensure its criteria aligns with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010’s definition of ‘disability’, and ensure staff are informed about any changes (within three months). 

In 2020, the Ombudsman wrote of its expectations of the council re its Derwen policy -

In spite of the further (and immediate) reviews supposedly undertaken by cyngor Gwynedd, the Hugh Morgan OBE report also recommends  - 

 

The Hugh Morgan report begins -
 

His full report can be found here - 
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html 

Hugh Morgan, also recommends staff training in ASD, but according to information given to the PSOW by Gwynedd council this training has already been completed as a recommendation from a previous investigation. 

The Ombudsman for Wales recommendations from an investigation in 2018 include - 

Have councillors had sight of any of the various reviews mentioned?

The Ombudsman's office has been provided clear evidence of wrong doing by senior officers - not investigated. It has also apologised for the failings of one of its officers and the former PSOW had to personally apologise to one family for failings in another investigation after an independent review.

The former children's commissioner, Sally Holland, also did not properly engage when concerns with children's social workers were raised with her office, in 2016. However, her office did comment on the council's criteria -
The Commissioner and our policy officers are aware of the criteria issue and this information will inform their ongoing work with Welsh Government. 

Professor Holland is now chair of Gwynedd's response plan programme board set up after the sexual abuse of children by Neil Foden and the failings of senior officers to hold him to account. Holland recently updated the council's cabinet members and that webcast can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/999635

In other news, the ICO has concluded a review into the council's handling of FOI requests. Gwynedd council are stating that it has been ranked 'reasonable'. Some FOI requestors would disagree. Has any councillor sighted the review from the ICO?

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...  

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - "I'm not claiming that the way we're reporting is completely accurate..."

Cyngor Gwynedd  held an Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday, 19th June 2025. The webcast of the meeting can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/993870

The Task and Finish Group recommendations for Gwynedd council's Draft Education Language Policy - Cyngor Gwynedd Language Strategy 2023 - 2033 were discussed. There has been a recent push by councillors for schools to be taught through the medium of Welsh only...

The recommendations can be found in the agenda pack here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5496/Public%20reports%20pack%2019th-Jun-2025%2010.30%20Education%20and%20Economy%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

On the 16th June, the Planning Commiittee held a meeting. That webcast can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/992005

The meeting discussed an application for an 'affordable self build' house in Penygroes. It has been refused in the past but the local councillor called it in for a debate. The councillor did not attend the meeting...
The recommendation was to refuse with the department citing three reasons including a lack of communication with the applicant. For reasons unknown some councillors wished to support the application anyway. The application was refused... 

Gwynedd's Care Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday, 12th June 2025.
The webcast can be found here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/991166

A performance report from the head of Housing and Property department, Carys Fôn Williams, was presented. 

Next up was the performance report of the children and supporting families department, presented by cabinet member, Menna Trenholme.
With Marian Parry Hughes absent from work, it was left to the interim heads, Aled Gibbard and Sharron Carter Williams, to answer members questions. 

The department's report makes no mention of the absences of two of its most senior officers and not one scrutiny member raised concerns. 

Morfa Bychan was discussed. The children's home should have been open last year. and whilst children have been placed there, the home is still not registered...

Councillor Beth Lawton raised concerns that according to the graphics in the report the interim heads had no concerns with the department at all. Lawton pointed out that there were concerns and described the Derwen service and its workload as huge.
Gibbard replied "I'm not claiming that the way we're reporting is completely accurate..." 

Councillor Gwynfor Owen asked the officers for the criteria that allows access to the disabled children's service. He was told, a learning disability and those with a substantial delay. Owen also asked if access to Derwen services was dependant on IQ. Gibbard replied no... 
Some parents have been told exactly that...

 
The Derwen criteria has been called out as unlawful in the past and in 2019, the Ombudsman for Wales recommendation was - 
The Council should review its Derwen policy to ensure its criteria aligns with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010’s definition of ‘disability’, and ensure staff are informed about any changes (within three months). 

What of the Hugh Morgan Autism Review? 
Have his recommendations been implemented? Perhaps Mr Morgan could be asked for his thoughts on 'progress' since his review?
His review can be found here -
https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html

Moving on, the report states that the purpose of the performance report is 'to present the performance of the Children and Supporting Families Department over the past year.'

But then states 'the report has been created based on the information and content of the latest meeting to challenge and support the performance of the Children and Supporting Families Department with the Director, the Senior Operational Officer and myself present at this meeting.'

So not over the past year? Only since the 'latest meeting' - whenever that was...?

The performance report for the Adults SS was also presented.

For what they're worth the reports can be found in the agenda pack here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5531/Public%20reports%20pack%2012th-Jun-2025%2010.00%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

In other news, Cyngor Gwynedd is advertising for a Corporate Director.
https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Council/Jobs-and-Careers/Corporate-Director.aspx

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does 'Absent From Work' Mean Suspended? - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

The publication of the Jan Pickles review, first due in spring, then late spring has been delayed again and is now expected in September...
https://www.northwalessafeguardingboard.wales/gwynedd-child-practice-review/

Cyngor Gwynedd has still not published the Genevieve Woods report received in March.
The barrister was commissioned by the council to investigate the council's handling of matters relating to  paedophile Neil Foden in 2019. A teacher from Ysgol Friars blew the whistle to Garem Jackson, former head of education at the council, who then sought the advice of a council safeguarding officer.

From the BBC -
Top officials at council which employed paedophile head 'absent from work'
An email sent to Gwynedd councillors by the authority's chief executive stated there were arrangements in place to lead its children and family support department while the head and deputy head are absent...

It goes on to add -
BBC Wales understands four members of staff were part of the decision not to investigate at the time, and a BBC Wales Investigates programme into the case revealed three of those were still employed by the council.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15nzl058z1o

The head of children and families is Marian Parry Hughes but who is the deputy head?

According to a recent FOI response, the children's SS department does not have a deputy head but names three assistant heads -
Aled Gibbard, Sharron Williams Carter and Dafydd Paul.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/structure_chart_social_services_7/response/2917001/attach/html/5/Children%20Department%20Organisational%20Chart%202024.pdf.html

Two of the three assistant heads, Aled Gibbard and Sharron Williams Carter, have been given temporary leadership of the Children and Families Department under the guidance of the director of SS, Dylan Owen.

Does 'absent from work' mean suspended and what of the fourth officer?

Last year, Dafydd Gibbard, CEO of cyngor Gwynedd commissioned a report into the county's looked after children. When will that report be made public?

It is presumed this action was in response to the revelation by Dylan Owen, the director of SS, of one child costing £25K a week and another child living in a caravan...

Were any of Neil Foden's victims children that were in the care of the council?
Do the historic complaints from 2014, that the children's SS department reported last year, involve looked after children?

In other news, Aled Davies, the head of Gwynedd Adults SS department will leave his post in July when Mari Wynne Jones will take up the role. Jones is a social worker and has worked for the council for 25 years...

Something is still very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Not My Shame...?

Cyngor Gwynedd held a full council meeting on the 1st, May, 2025.
The agenda pack can be found here -

https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=5167

The meeting passed a motion raised by councillor Beca Brown.

The #NotMyShame motion was in response to the actions of paedophile headteacher, Neil Foden.
Brown was the former cabinet member for Education, who resigned last year in protest at the council leader's handling of the matter and was vocal in calling for a full public inquiry...

Brown mentioned that child abuse can happen '...more often than not in their own homes.'
Gwynedd has a long history of child abuse and many of the abusers have been those in a position of trust. A reminder that cyngor Gwynedd has recently reported an increase in allegations against those in a position of trust. 

But what happens when someone blows the whistle?
In 2019, the then head of education, Garem Jackson, was contacted by a teacher with concerns of Foden's closeness to children. After seeking advice from a safeguarding officer, Jackson simply had a chat with Foden about his behaviour and also outed the whistleblower to him.

 

A reminder that the council sacked a social worker who blew the whistle on the last child sexual abuse scandal. 

 

A recent survey of Gwynedd staff revealed many would NOT blow the whistle on wrongdoing - including sexual abuse. Fear of retribution...?
Is this the 'culture' that the executive officers say must change...?
It has never been explained what the culture was that needed to change...

There were other opportunities to stop Foden.
Were claims of undeserved examination passes at Ysgol Friars investigated?
Judgements from Employment Tribunals are published online and it is presumed that senior officers would have knowledge of the case as well as the school governors.

Then there was a ruling against Foden for unprofessional conduct...

There was also the video of Foden allegedly showing him grabbing a pupil by the scruff of the neck.
What action did Garem Jackson and the school governors at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle take?

Councillors of Gwynedd's Education and Economy Scrutiny committee did raise this issue at one meeting but Jackson refused to answer though he did promise the committee an update. (Gwynedd officers are sometimes reluctant to give information within public meetings and some councillors are given more details afterwards)

So were committee members informed?
What actions did members and the then cabinet member for Education take?
The committee is currently investigating Foden and their report should be completed soon.

Many will find it ... distasteful that the Not My Shame campaign flag is to be flown above the heads of a council who could and should have stopped Foden years ago. 

 

Councillors could be asking for the Woods report to be published.
They could also ask for the Canolfan Brynffynnon reports.

The webcast of the meeting can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/981083

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - We Need To Talk About Canolfan Brynffynnon...

Canolfan Brynffynnon, the pupil referral unit in Y Felinheli, closed by cyngor Gwynedd council in 2014, is being investigated by Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors -
https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/25090281.gwynedd-referral-unit-pupils-saw-staff-bullying-children/

Canolfan Brynffynnon made the news in 2014, when two staff members were arrested on allegations of cruelty.
A third officer was later suspended as, it is believed, they were the most senior member present on the day one incident was meant to have occurred.  

In 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service, after receiving new information, did a deep dive of the evidence and the trial was stopped.
What was that new information and who supplied it?

Though the CPS dropped the case, cyngor Gwynedd did not reinstate the staff.
Instead the suspensions continued on full pay - for years.
If there was evidence of mistreatment, why were the officers not sacked in 2016?
A criminal conviction would not be needed in cases such as this - as long as the evidence was strong.

Two employees have now received redundancy packages.
How much have these packages cost and were non disclosure agreements attached?
A reminder that NDA's may not be legally binding if they are imposed to cover illegality and/or undermine public interest...

The third employee has recently been reinstated after taking the council to Employment Tribunal.
Gwynedd council acted before the case was heard in court.

So what could have been presented to the tribunal?  
An allegation of a malicious complaint?
Were there botched interviews?
Was there a failure to adhere to procedures?
Was a social worker meant to be supporting a family whilst actively working against them?

It can be presumed that whatever came out at tribunal would be highly embarrassing for cyngor Gwynedd and their safeguarding officers - especially at this time with the Jan Pickles review ongoing.

Cyngor Gwynedd is again asking for the public to contact social services and the police with information re child abuse. In this instance, it may be better to contact Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors directly -
https://www.andrewgroveandco.com/contact-us

Something is very, very wrong within Gwynedd council...