Effective leadership is evident at all levels with a highly skilled, well qualified and supported workforce working towards a shared vision
Supporting our workforce
As part of our workforce recruitment and retention, Conwy is a member of the Bangor University MA in Social Work partnership. As part of this, each academic year we host 16 social work students. To enable this, we require our social workers to train to become Practice Educators. In the last eighteen months we have trained an additional ten social workers to act as Practice Educators. As a result, social work students have benefitted from an increased variety of placements on offer.
We are also proud to offer the Conwy Social Work Traineeship. This is available to employees to support them to become qualified social workers via the BA in Social Work offered by the Open University. The scheme pays for all course fees and the trainee retains their substantive post and salary for the duration of their studies.
What are the challenges?
The most recent data available to us states that across Wales 9% of posts in Adult Services were reported as vacant, and 13% of posts in Children’s Services are vacant. This indicates that workforce recruitment and retention is a national issue and not exclusive to any particular Local Authority. The same data suggests that a third of all vacant social work posts are filled by newly qualified social workers.
Ensuring that Looked After Children are supported in school
This year we asked schools in Conwy to take part in a survey to ensure that they have a designated officer for LAC and that staff at the settings have received training in various topics and strategies. Schools were able to declare how many of their children are in care from within and outside of the county, how many are adopted and how many are subject to a Special Guardianship Order. The results have provided a snapshot of how effectively we are able to support Looked After Children at school, and where there are gaps in staff training and development. We will continue to work with schools to ensure that Looked After Children receive any additional support they need, and that school staff have the knowledge and confidence to support the children in our care with the necessary understanding and awareness.
Monitoring the quality of our in-house services
In order to ensure that our in-house domiciliary services are the best they can be, we once again asked for feedback from the colleagues who work within those teams, as well as those who commission us or work alongside us in Social Services and the Health Board. We have received some very positive scores and comments, demonstrating the high quality of the services we provide to vulnerable people in Conwy, and the strengths and dedication within our staff teams. Here is a flavour of the feedback we received.
Stakeholders and internal customers of our in-house disability domiciliary service were asked to rate the team on a series of elements. 100% of respondents stated that our staff are competent and able to meet the needs of the individuals we support. As a result, 100% also agreed that we enable those individuals to achieve their personal outcomes. We received high scores across the board and comments from respondents outline the value they place on the service.
They will adapt their support to meet the individuals’ needs, offer a range of activities…to support those with the most challenging needs and always go above and beyond to assist in crisis situations. Their use of person-centred approaches as well as active support and positive behaviour is excellent.
The best interests of the service users are central to staff. This is demonstrated by their application of support for each individual they support.
Similar questions were asked about our Older People in-house domiciliary team to colleagues working within the Local Authority, Local Health Board and Housing Association. Again, all respondents agreed that our staff are competent and respond promptly and appropriately to concerns about individuals accessing the service. 100% stated that Reablement and End of Life services meet the needs of the individuals who use them.
The team are amazing in every way, in the rural communities they are an absolute lifeline. I think the skills, dedication and support this team provides to our citizens has been amazing through this pandemic.
The true skills and dedication of all these teams has shone through during this pandemic. I feel CCBC should be immensely proud.
We were given more average scores for how we provide or share information about our services in this area, so this is something we can look to improve in the coming months. Additional comments acknowledged that the teams have been stretched to their limits over the past few months, with demand often outstripping their capacity.
With Llys Elian our sole in-house residential setting for older people, we asked for feedback on the service it provides to people in Conwy who are living with dementia. We received responses from colleagues within the Authority and Local Health Board. 100% rated us good or very good when responding to queries in a timely and courteous manner and responding promptly and appropriately to concerns about individuals who access the service. All respondents agreed that long-term residential and respite care delivered at Llys Elian enables residents to meet their personal outcomes.
We asked what the setting does well and were told that:
The service provided is very personalised to the individual. Knowledge about dementia care and the interaction…with the service users within placement is good. We would benefit from having more placements like Llys Elian where we have access to respite, day care services and short-term/long-term placements.
Llys Elian have been a dream to work with….. They have an exceptional relationship with their residents, speaking Welsh when needed. The home is always very clean and welcoming…..and [they] strive for the best outcomes for their residents.
As well as approaching colleagues in other teams and organisations for their feedback, we asked our staff how they feel about the teams they work in and the service they provide.
Staff from the Disability Service were unanimous in feeling that they listen to the individuals they support and ensure they have rights and choices.
We give options and person-centred care. We adapt our approach so that the person we are supporting understands so they can make their own choices. We promote their independence and encourage them to learn how to support themselves.
93% agreed that they support individuals to live fulfilled lives, supporting their health and wellbeing. Some felt that Covid restrictions had placed limitations on face to face and group work, and looked forward to being able to increase the offer to individuals as the rules are relaxed.
100% of respondents felt that they support individuals to stay safe, and the additional comments demonstrate how much work goes into getting to know vulnerable individuals and enabling them to risk-assess their own activities and increase their awareness of situations that may put them in danger.
We work closely with service users so we are aware of individual vulnerabilities. Once these have been identified we can work towards supporting them to gain further knowledge of how to stay safe in whichever area they require, e.g. prompting them to lock doors each evening, finding the safest route to access the local shop, using pedestrian crossings when walking to the bus, access to staff phone numbers, etc.
90% of staff from the Older People in-house domiciliary teams rated their service as good or excellent, with supporting comments demonstrating professionalism and pride in this specialist function. Some note the pressures of demand and staff shortages, but there is a definite theme of working together for the benefit of the service users.
I feel given current pressures and demands the team I work in have gone above and beyond in their roles to ensure high quality person-centred care is delivered.
100% of respondents felt that their contribution at work makes a difference to the individuals they support, and a great deal of job satisfaction is derived from supporting them to independence.
I feel I have made a difference to someone’s day when I leave work. Gaining the person’s trust so that they can share any problems or concerns with me is something that I try to do.
Staff based at Llys Elian were also asked about their experiences. 92% rated the setting good or excellent, and again, 100% felt that they make a difference to the residents’ lives. Staff are proud to work at Llys Elian, with management who support them in their roles.
I work very hard to make sure I provide good high quality care.
Youth Justice Service
The Youth Justice Service is a multi-agency partnership between Conwy and Denbighshire with a statutory responsibility for providing intervention and support for young people and their families. Our prevention team works at an early stage to prevent antisocial behaviour and entry into the criminal justice system.
In the past twelve months, there has been lots of activity within the service, including a HMI inspection which we talk about later in the report. For example, in recent weeks our young people have taken part in a pilot Junior Attendance Centre (JAC). The aim of the JAC is to focus on young people with interactive and educational sessions in topics that will support them with their future aspirations. Young people have taken part in boxing and constructive leisure activities to promote physical and mental wellbeing.
We have delivered awareness sessions in schools on topics such as knife crime and exploitation. We have also responded to increased risk and need in target areas such as Colwyn Bay, working preventatively to reduce the anti-social activity which has been compounded by a return to post-pandemic normality.
We are now providing weekly football sessions with the local community and recently had over 20 young people attend. The sessions offer exercise and provide an interest that diverts individuals away from anti-social activity and criminality, providing purpose and meaning.
