No serious failings in children's services, says report

 

 

The independent assurance report, carried out by Steve Walker, a senior figure in children’s social care, found no serious failings in the service and praised strong leadership, effective advocacy for children, and robust performance reporting.

 

It follows historic challenges in Powys Children’s Services, which came under intense scrutiny in recent years after damning inspections by Care Inspectorate Wales in 2017 highlighted “systemic failures”. Since then, the council has faced a long journey of rebuilding confidence and reforming how children and families are supported.

 

In his latest assessment, Mr Walker said: “Powys Children’s Services is a safe service. No serious failings were identified, and no practice issues had to be referred to leaders. Powys Children’s Services has made significant progress, particularly in recent years, and has improved services, practice, and outcomes for children, young people and families.”

 

The report highlights stable and committed leadership at senior levels, strong advocacy from independent reviewing officers acting on behalf of children, and high-quality data and performance management systems.

 

It also noted that staff feel supported and proud to work for the council, despite ongoing challenges with IT systems and continued financial pressures.

 

Cllr Sandra Davies, Cabinet Member for Future Generations at Powys County Council, welcomed the findings.

 

“We commissioned this report to find out if Children’s Services are functioning effectively, safely and in line with our expectations,” she said. “We are very pleased to find that the view of an independent expert is that they are ‘safe’ and ‘improving’.”

 

She added: “The main conclusion is that we are in a strong position to make further progress, which will be sustained and delivered at a faster pace if we can focus on our vision, workforce support, strategic clarity and partnership working.”

 

The report also makes several recommendations to build on the progress made, including:

• Creating a simple and ambitious vision for Children’s Services

• Investigating underlying causes of children entering care, such as poverty, mental health, and repeat removals

• Continuing leadership coaching and mentoring

• Enhancing staff communication and career development

• Improving coordination with external agencies and access to support services

• Reducing changes in social workers by limiting transfer points

• Prioritising child participation and exploring family group conferencing

• Strengthening early intervention, foster care, and special guardianship support

• Defining roles for council-run children’s homes and ensuring all are operational by year-end

• Reducing reliance on distant residential placements