Vale of Glamorgan`s child protection services need to improve more

An inspection of Vale of Glamorgan’s child protection services
found they are improving following a highly critical report two
years ago, but there is still a need for considerable progress,
writes Alex Dobson.

The latest inspection carried by social services inspectors on
behalf of the assembly found that one of the key issues has been
the difficulty in recruiting enough social workers with the skills
and experience needed to protect vulnerable children.

The report says that staff in the Vale of Glamorgan work hard to
provide services for children at risk, but that this is not being
done consistently enough.

It says that the service has been through a difficult time and
that prospects are still uncertain, but the council is beginning to
deliver on a plan of action.

* An inspection of Denbighshire’s child protection
services found that more consistency is needed.

The inspection, carried out last year, found that staff were
working hard to provide good services to protect vulnerable
children at risk of harm, but that this was not done consistently
enough.

The report says that as a result some children’s cases do not
always receive all the attention, which child protection guidance
requires.

But inspectors praised social workers for acting promptly when
they received information about children at risk, the range of
services available to support families, and the real commitment by
the council to safeguarding children.