The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday 14 July 2026 to discuss a range of important issues, including the commissioning of young person's housing-related support, the Local Authority Social Services Annual Report, the Corporate Parenting Annual Report, and Welsh-medium secondary admissions. The committee also reviewed the Scrutiny Annual Report and the Work Programme for the upcoming year.

Young Person's Housing-Related Support Commissioning

The committee undertook a pre-decision scrutiny of proposals for the commissioning of young person's housing-related support. The report detailed a proposed new model designed to provide a more integrated and person-centred approach to supporting young people aged 16 to 24 who are experiencing housing difficulties. The aim is to prevent homelessness, build resilience, and achieve positive long-term outcomes.

Key aspects of the proposed model include:

• Lot One: Advice and Prevention: This will act as a single point of contact, offering early intervention, mediation, and family support to prevent young people from needing to enter supported accommodation. This includes working with schools and youth services to identify young people at risk of homelessness at an earlier stage. Supported lodgings will also be offered as a lower-intensity family setting for those with lower needs.
• Lots Two and Three: Mixed Support Accommodation: These lots will provide approximately 200 units of supported accommodation across the city, offering a mix of shared accommodation, medium-sized sites, and self-contained units. The provision will be specialist, including LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity-informed accommodation, and will be supported by peripatetic staff who can respond to changing needs. Sustainment support will be provided to help young people maintain their independence after leaving supported accommodation.

The commissioning approach will involve a 5+2 year contract with a maximum of £7 million per annum, funded through the Housing Support Grant and Children's Services. The procurement process will focus on quality and will be advertised through Sell2Wales and the Find a Tender Service. Market engagement is scheduled for August to September 2026, with tender issuance in October 2026.

During the discussion, councillors raised questions about the sustainability of grant funding, the transition process for young people currently in contracts, and the specific support offered through the proposed model. Officers assured the committee that a six-week mobilisation period would ensure continuity of support during contract changes, and that the Housing Support Grant, while annual, has a long history of provision. The importance of focusing on education, employment, and training to improve affordability in the private rented sector was also highlighted, with the council providing bonds and rent in advance to assist young people. Concerns about the risk of exploitation and antisocial behaviour in the environment of accommodation were addressed, with officers confirming that property locations would be carefully reviewed using data from the police and children's services.

The committee noted the positive aspects of the proposed model, including the focus on early intervention and prevention, and the commitment to a trauma-informed approach. A request was made for an update on the progress of the new contracts once they are in place to assess their impact on vulnerable young people.

Local Authority Social Services Annual Report 2025/26

The committee undertook a pre-decision scrutiny of the Children's Services section of the Local Authority Social Services Annual Report 2025/26. The report highlighted significant progress made during the year, despite increasing pressures on services.

Key achievements and areas of focus included:

• Digital Transformation: The successful delivery of a change to the Eclipse system across Children's Services and Adult Services, involving the transfer of a significant amount of case records.
• Front Door Services: The introduction of a new front door at the Family Advice Support and Protection Hub (FASP), integrating early help and MASH to improve early triage and reduce unnecessary referrals.
• Housing and Accommodation: Continued progress on housing plans and the accommodation strategy, with plans to expand adaptations for carers and reduce reliance on residential care.
• Support Services: Growth in support for young carers, parents, and families, and continued efforts to become more digitalised, including the use of AI.
• Single View of the Child: Continued focus on achieving a single view of the child, which has been recognised with a Local Government Chronicle Award.

The report also acknowledged ongoing pressures, including rising and complex demands, particularly in relation to additional learning needs (ALN), children with disabilities, placement sufficiency, and health and wellbeing. The committee discussed the challenges of recruiting experienced staff at Grade 8 and the ongoing pressure of placement sufficiency, with plans to increase recruitment of foster carers. Partnership working was acknowledged as crucial, with challenges noted in capacity across other services. The financial sustainability of services, particularly in relation to grant funding and the cost of external residential provision, was also a key discussion point.

The committee noted the importance of the invest to save approach through early intervention and prevention, and the ongoing need for financial support. The report also highlighted the disproportionate impact of the Health and Social Care Act on Cardiff, with a higher percentage of children looked after in the city compared to its population share.

Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2025/26

The committee reviewed the Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2025/26, which outlines the council's collective responsibility to ensure positive outcomes for children looked after and care leavers. The report detailed progress against the five key priorities of the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2025–2028: Improving Emotional Health and Wellbeing; Better Connections and Improved Relationships; A Comfortable, Safe, and Stable Home; Educational Achievement, Employment and Training; and Involving and Celebrating Our Children and Young People.

Key achievements highlighted in the report included:

• Fundamentals: 68% of actions in the 2025-2026 Annual Plan were completed, with 93% of improvement actions from the Corporate Safeguarding Self-Assessment process progressed. A dedicated webpage for Children Looked After was launched, and a Corporate Parenting awareness e-learning module was developed. A partnership event secured new pledges of support from council partners.
• Priority 1 (Emotional Health and Wellbeing): Continued embedding of trauma-informed practice, with training delivered and planned rollout to schools. A programme of activities was delivered to Children Looked After, including Passport to the City opportunities and engagement with skills-based development.
• Priority 2 (Connections and Relationships): Enhanced support from the Personal Adviser Service, including targeted work with young people in custody and peer support groups for young parents. Progress was made in raising awareness of corporate parenting with contractors to secure employment and training opportunities for care leavers.
• Priority 3 (Home): A 100% increase in referrals for the Young Person's Multi-Disciplinary Team and strong outcomes in Training Tenancies. Efforts to promote fostering have increased enquiries and interest from prospective carers.
• Priority 4 (Education, Employment and Training): 32 Children Looked After were supported into employment, and 115 completed accredited training. Strong performance in Personal Education Plan (PEP) quality and timeliness was noted, and no permanent exclusions occurred in Cardiff maintained schools.
• Priority 5 (Involving and Celebrating): A 25% increase in Bright Sparks Participation group membership, and a successful Bright Sparks Awards event led by young people. A Children's Services Participation Strategy was launched.

The committee discussed the importance of impact reporting beyond process, and requested further information on how the 26% of children looked after who do not confirm a post-16 destination are being supported. They also sought clarification on the support provided to the 50 young people who are unallocated a personal advisor. The committee also noted the potential value of a presentation from the virtual school on the effectiveness of Personal Education Plans (PEPs) and the role of the virtual school.

Welsh-Medium Secondary Admissions - Post Consultation

The committee considered a post-consultation report on Welsh-medium secondary admissions, specifically addressing a short-term solution for a bulge in numbers in the 2027-2028 academic year. The proposal is to introduce a two-form entry expansion at Glantaf.

The report explained that while this is a short-term measure to accommodate a bulge year, the pupils will remain at the school for several years. The expansion at Glantaf was considered the least disruptive option due to the bulge being concentrated in one catchment area. The school has undergone significant architectural input, with adjustments planned that are expected to provide long-term benefits. Investment will be made in additional toilets and catering provision, which is seen as a long-term investment.

The consultation also provided an opportunity to highlight long-standing issues, including the imbalance in the size of secondary schools across Cardiff and their geographical spread. Officers reassured the committee that a longer, more in-depth review is committed to and will be brought back to the committee in the autumn. The committee also raised the issue of Welsh medium Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision, with officers pointing to a new building at Glantaf for specialist resource provision and a commitment to review ALN capacity across the city. The committee urged officers to prepare for school appeals next year.

Concerns were raised about the capacity of Glantaf to accommodate the extra numbers and the impact on staff. Officers confirmed that there is sufficient floor space against their standards, but investment in toilet and catering provision is needed. They also stated that secondary schools are well-versed in recruiting through expansion and Glantaf should be able to secure the necessary resources. The committee noted that while this is a short-term solution for the bulge, the long-term issues of school size and geographical spread will require further attention.

Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26

The committee reviewed the draft Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26, which summarises the work of all scrutiny committees over the past year. The committee noted that the Youth Services section was missing from the Supporting Young People Portfolio and requested its inclusion. The report will be presented to Full Council in September.

CYPSC Work Programme 2026/27

The committee discussed the proposed work programme for 2026/27. Key areas of focus for the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee include:

• Additional Learning Needs (ALN): Monitoring the implementation of ALN phases 1-3, recruitment and retention of ALN staff, and the impact of ALN changes on mainstream schools. A short scrutiny into NEETS (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) was also agreed.
• Children's Services: Monitoring the development of an integrated first point of contact for safeguarding referrals, a multi-agency locality approach to early intervention, and a multi-agency virtual hub for exploitation risks. Reviewing foster care, children's homes, and support living, as well as the transition to adulthood for care leavers.
• Supporting Young People: Continuing to support and champion the Youth Service to ensure its strategy and action plan deliver its commitments.
• Participation and Engagement: Sessions with school leaders, visits to schools and other settings for children and young people.

The committee agreed to receive a further report in September which will set out a calendar of meetings for the next year, mapping out the agreed topics. A request was made to add progress on the new school improvement arrangements after the first year to the work programme.

The meeting was recorded for broadcast on the Council's website. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 4:30 pm.