The Health and Social Services Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, to review the findings of a joint assurance check on learning disability services, discuss the progress of the Children and Families' Services Transformation Programme, and examine the first quarter performance report for 2026/27. The committee received positive feedback on learning disability services, noted progress in children's services transformation, and reviewed performance data across various council objectives.

Joint CIW & HIW Assurance Review of Learning Disability Services

The committee received a positive report on the joint assurance check inspection of Carmarthenshire County Council's Community Learning Disability Team and Hywel Dda University Health Board's Learning Disabilities Directorate. The review, conducted by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), highlighted strong strategic alignment between health and social care, effective senior management communication, and a commitment to prevention and early intervention. Staff reported a positive working culture, and person-centred approaches to care planning were noted.

However, areas for improvement were identified, including the need for more accessible and easy-read documentation, enhanced communication between service users and professionals, and addressing challenges in recruiting personal assistants (PAs). Delays in accessing day opportunities and short breaks, as well as waiting lists for health assessments, were also noted. The report also highlighted the ongoing barrier of separate IT systems between the health board and the council, and the need for improvements in the timeliness of safeguarding decision-making and record-keeping.

Carmarthenshire County Council has accepted the recommendations and developed an improvement action plan. Councillor Martyn Palfreman, who runs a health and social care consultancy, declared an interest in this item but remained to speak and vote.

Children and Families' Services Transformation Programme Update

An update on the Children and Families' Services Transformation Programme revealed significant progress across several workstreams. Developments in fostering services include the creation of new posts, successful appointments, and increased participation in support groups. Work on children with disabilities and transitions has seen the establishment of a dedicated workstream and strengthened collaborative working with holiday club providers. The Families Matter Team is fully operational, and supported lodgings capacity has grown. Progress has also been made on the development and refurbishment of children's homes, with key planning and funding milestones achieved.

The committee discussed the potential for council tax reductions as an incentive for foster carers and the council's ability to meet forthcoming placement sufficiency requirements. Assurance was sought regarding the monitoring of staff undertaking Section 47 enquiries to ensure they gained necessary experience. The increase in the use of agency social workers was attributed to key workforce absences, particularly at managerial level, with a commitment to reducing reliance on agency staff as new staff become established.

The committee also heard about multi-agency partnerships supporting early intervention and prevention work, with examples including youth support initiatives funded through the Children and Communities Grant. The report detailed the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children being supported, both within and outside the county, and the reasons for out-of-county placements. The importance of creating warm, stable, and homely environments in new children's homes was emphasised, with designs focusing on small, family-style units and well-trained, trauma-informed staff.

2026/27 End of Quarter 1 Performance Report

The committee reviewed the performance report for the first quarter of 2026/27, noting the introduction of a new RAG-based framework for assessing progress. The majority of actions were reported as progressing as planned. However, three Early Years performance measures were unavailable for the quarter due to reporting being aligned with school terms.

A performance measure relating to the timeliness of initial child protection case conferences was assessed as progressing with possible risk, having fallen below target due to scheduling and attendance issues. Officers outlined measures being taken to improve performance. An action relating to the development of additional residential placements for children looked after was also reported as progressing with some risk, pending confirmation of external funding approvals.

The committee received an update on the proposed partnership agreement between the Health Board and the Authority, including the development of pooled budget arrangements. It was explained that the new agreement would replace the existing Section 33 agreement from 2009 and was being updated to reflect current legislative requirements. Pooled budget arrangements were confirmed as not being new, with existing arrangements for equipment services and regional placement budgets overseen by the Regional Partnership Board.

Concerns were raised regarding delays in holding multi-disciplinary case conferences, with 11 cases identified as delayed, primarily due to the non-attendance of key participants. The committee also sought information on whether recent investments in active travel and leisure infrastructure were contributing to improved outcomes under the prevention strategy.

Regarding dementia services, it was reported that the Dementia Action Plan was being developed through a multi-agency partnership, with a third meeting scheduled to finalise the plan. Clarification was sought on the clinical streaming element of the hospital avoidance and discharge support model, which involves Advanced Medical Practitioners working with the Acute Response Team to prevent hospital admissions. Seven-day working arrangements are being phased in, initially focusing on Delta Response, reablement, and home-based support services.

The committee discussed the increasing number of children looked after, acknowledging it as a national trend influenced by increasing complexity of need. Preventative initiatives were expected to have a positive impact over time, with wider factors such as economic pressures and the impact of COVID-19 also recognised.

Explanation for Non-Submission of Scrutiny Reports

The committee received explanations for the non-submission of several scrutiny reports, including an Active & Healthy Start update, a report on the First Point of Contact for Social Care Services, the LD Regional Strategic Action Plan, and the Council Annual Report 2025/26. Reasons included the timing of previous updates, lead officers being on leave, and delays in receiving consultation feedback. These reports have been rescheduled for future meetings.

Forthcoming Items

The committee noted the list of forthcoming items for the next meeting on 15 October 2026, which includes budget monitoring, the Revenue Budget Outturn Report, the Adult Social Care Sustainable Services Strategy, the Social Care related Accommodation Strategy, and updates on hospital discharge/flow and funding. The committee also noted the forward work plan for the year.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 July 2026 were signed as a correct record.