Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:14 pm Post subject: 'Amazing change for social services
Quote:
IMPROVEMENTS in Blaenau Gwent's social services department over the past five years were heralded as "amazing."
At Thursday's meeting of full council, the social service department's annual report was looked at to see how the area is progressing.
The council identified it as a priority for spending money and in 2008/09, £32 million was pumped into the department, representing around 29 percent of the council's overall budget.
This turnaround comes on the back of turbulent years in this area for the council.
In 2003 and 2004, council bosses came under fire after the Social Services Inspectorate revealed a series of failings.
A 2004 report said that a child was not seen by a social worker for 19 months even though there were serious protection concerns, and another youngster was taken to a shabby B&B and told to lock his door until staff arrived to collect him.
After those revelations, a new management team in Blaenau Gwent's social services unit was put in place to help bring it up to standard.
There has been a drop in the number of children on the child protection register, falling from 85 to 58 in 2008/09, while the number of youngsters being supported by the council to stay with their families when it is in their best interest has jumped from 342 to 477.
Every child in the care of the council now has their own care plan in place, which details the help and support they need.
Corporate director of community services, Philip Hodgson, said the council has also managed to continue recruiting social workers at a time when there is a national shortage.
Ebbw Vale North councillor John Rogers said: "Over the last five years, the improvement has been amazing, but we must emphasise we do not regard complacency as acceptable under any circumstances. We've done well, but we've still go things to do."
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