Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
On 17 October 2017, the Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (CSSIW) published its report of the planned inspection it undertook, in July 2017, of Powys County Council’s Children’s Social Services. The inspection identified a significant number of serious concerns and a wide range of shortcomings.    

  

The same day, the former Minister for Social Services and Public Health issued a Warning Notice to Powys County Council under Part 8 of the Social Services and Well\-being (Wales) Act 2014\.  The Warning Notice set out a series of actions required by the Council to address the issues identified in the CSSIW inspection.  

  

Members were previously advised that the Social Services and Well\-being (Wales) Act 2014 requires Welsh Ministers to report to the National Assembly for Wales within 90 days of giving the Notice on action taken by the Council in response to the Warning Notice. This written statement provides members with an update on progress.  

  

In compliance with the action set out in the Warning Notice, Powys County Council has:  

 


* Submitted an Improvement Plan on 13 November within the 20 days deadline.
* Established an Improvement Board to oversee the delivery of that plan.
* Appointed an interim Director of Social Services.
* Appointed an interim Head of Children’s Services.
* Made significant progress filling staff vacancies within Children’s Services and have a full complement of operational managers.


  

The Improvement Plan has been approved by the Council’s Cabinet and Improvement Board. I have seen the Plan and it is my view that the Council has set out its strategic commitment to improving services for the safety and protection of children in Powys.  However, further work is required to clearly articulate the Plan’s medium to long term approach towards continuous improvement.  Getting this Plan right is vital to delivering real and sustained improvement and to this end my officials are working closely with the Council.  

  

In December, CSSIW undertook a 3 day monitoring activity which consisted of reviewing case files and speaking to frontline operational staff. The findings from CSSIW’s visit showed early signs of improvement, with some evidence of improved practice and many areas where new arrangements, including some aspects of operational practice, had been put in place but were yet to become fully embedded.   CSSIW has since written to Powys County Council with its findings highlighting areas in need of further attention and requesting they are incorporated into the updated Improvement Plan.    

  

Whilst I am pleased that improvements are being made, I am determined to maintain close oversight of Powys Children’s Services until we reach a time where Care Inspectorate Wales (formerly known as CSSIW) and Welsh Ministers are satisfied the Council is delivering services to the standard and quality expected. With this in mind, I have decided to issue a refreshed Warning Notice to Powys County Council which sets out updated actions. By taking this approach, I am acknowledging the progress already made but at the same time providing a realistic timeframe for staff to make the major progress we require.  

  

The updated Warning Notice is being laid before the National Assembly for Wales today and as before, I will provide members with an update on action at the end of the statutory 90 day period when I expect to have seen significant improvement.  

  

Since Care Inspectorate Wales’ inspection of children’s services, it has been decided to bring forward Care Inspectorate Wales’ planned inspection of adult services.  I am able to confirm the inspection of Powys County Council’s Adults Service will begin this month.  

  

In my joint Written Statement of 21 November with the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, we noted that Cllr Rosemary Harris, Leader of Powys Council, has requested statutory support under the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009\.  Through Solace Advisory the Welsh Ministers commissioned an initial review by an experienced former Local Authority Chief Executive.  We expect to receive the report in January and it will inform the development of a full support package including comprehensive governance arrangements.    


 


 


 


 







Translation:


 
Ar 17 Hydref 2017, cyhoeddodd Arolygiaeth Gofal a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Cymru (AGGCC) ei adroddiad ar arolygiad wedi ei gynllunio o Wasanaethau Cymdeithasol Plant Cyngor Sir Powys,  a gafodd ei gynnal ym mis Gorffennaf 2017\. Yn ystod yr arolygiad hwn, nodwyd nifer sylweddol o bryderon difrifol ac amrywiaeth eang o ddiffygion.    
  
Yr un diwrnod, cyflwynodd cyn Weinidog Iechyd y Cyhoedd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol Hysbysiad Rhybuddio i Gyngor Sir Powys o dan Ran 8 o Ddeddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014\. Roedd yr Hysbysiad Rhybuddio'n nodi nifer o gamau gweithredu y dylai’r Cyngor eu cymryd i unioni'r materion a nodwyd yn arolygiad AGGCC.  
  
Dywedwyd eisoes wrth yr Aelodau  fod Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014 yn gofyn i Weinidogion Cymru roi gwybod i Gynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, o fewn 90 diwrnod i gyflwyno'r Hysbysiad, am y camau y mae'r Cyngor wedi eu cymryd mewn ymateb i'r Hysbysiad Rhybuddio. Mae'r datganiad ysgrifenedig hwn yn rhoi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i’r Aelodau ynghylch y cynnydd a wnaed.   
  
Er mwyn cydymffurfio â'r camau gweithredu a nodwyd yn yr Hysbysiad Rhybuddio, mae Cyngor Sir Powys wedi gwneud y canlynol:  
   


* Cyflwyno Cynllun Gwella ar 13 Tachwedd cyn pen y cyfnod o 20 diwrnod a bennwyd;
* Sefydlu Bwrdd Gwella i oruchwylio'r gwaith o weithredu'r cynllun hwnnw;
* Penodi Cyfarwyddwr Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol dros dro;
* Penodi Pennaeth Gwasanaethau Plant dros dro;
* Llenwi nifer sylweddol o swyddi gwag ymhlith staff y Gwasanaethau Plant. Mae nifer llawn o reolwyr gweithredol wrth eu gwaith.

Mae'r Cynllun Gwella wedi cael ei gymeradwyo gan Gabinet y Cyngor a'r Bwrdd Gwella. Rwyf wedi gweld y Cynllun, ac yn fy marn i mae'r Cyngor wedi pennu ei ymrwymiad strategol i wella gwasanaethau a fydd yn amddiffyn plant ym Mhowys ac yn sicrhau eu diogelwch. Fodd bynnag, mae angen gwneud rhagor o waith i egluro dull gweithredu'r Cynllun ar gyfer y tymor canolig a'r tymor hir er mwyn sicrhau gwella parhaus. Mae'n hanfodol gweithredu cynllun priodol er mwyn cyflawni gwelliannau real a chynaliadwy, ac mae fy swyddogion yn gweithio'n agos gyda'r Cyngor i'r perwyl hwn.  
  
Ym mis Rhagfyr, cynhaliodd AGGCC weithgarwch monitro dros gyfnod o 3 diwrnod a oedd yn cynnwys adolygu ffeiliau achosion a siarad â staff gweithredol y rheng flaen. Roedd y casgliadau y daethpwyd iddynt yn sgil yr ymweliad hwn yn dangos bod arwyddion cynnar o wella, gyda rhywfaint o dystiolaeth bod arferion gwell ar waith a bod llawer o feysydd lle'r oedd trefniadau newydd, gan gynnwys rhai agweddau ar arferion gweithredol, wedi eu cyflwyno ond heb gael eu hymgorffori'n llawn hyn yn hyn. Ers hynny, mae AGGCC wedi ysgrifennu i Gyngor Sir Powys i roi gwybod am ei chasgliadau sy'n amlygu meysydd y mae angen rhoi mwy o sylw iddynt, ac i ofyn i'r Cyngor eu cynnwys yn y Cynllun Gwella diwygiedig.    
  
Er fy mod yn falch o weld bod y sefyllfa’n gwella, rwy'n benderfynol o sicrhau bod Gwasanaethau Plant Powys yn parhau i gael eu goruchwylio'n fanwl, hyd nes inni gyrraedd pwynt lle mae Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru (AGGCC gynt) a Gweinidogion Cymru yn fodlon bod y Cyngor yn darparu gwasanaethau o'r safon a'r ansawdd disgwyliedig. Gan gadw hyn mewn cof, rwyf wedi penderfynu cyflwyno Hysbysiad Rhybuddio diwygiedig i Gyngor Sir Powys, sy'n nodi camau gweithredu sydd wedi eu diweddaru. Drwy fynd ar hyd y trywydd hwn, rwy'n cydnabod y cynnydd a wnaed hyd yn hyn, ond ar yr un pryd rwy'n pennu amserlen realistig i’r staff sicrhau’r cynnydd pellgyrhaeddol yr ydym am ei weld.   
  
Mae'r Hysbysiad Rhybuddio sydd wedi ei ddiweddaru yn cael ei osod gerbron Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru heddiw, ac fel o’r blaen, ar ddiwedd y cyfnod statudol o 90 o ddiwrnodau, byddaf yn rhoi rhagor o wybodaeth i’r aelodau ynghylch y camau gweithredu a gymerwyd. Erbyn hynny, byddaf yn disgwyl gweld gwelliannau sylweddol.    
  
Yn dilyn yr arolygiad o wasanaethau plant a gynhaliwyd gan Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru, mae’r Arolygiaeth wedi penderfynu dwyn ymlaen ei harolygiad oedd wedi ei gynllunio ar gyfer gwasanaethau oedolion. Rwy'n gallu cadarnhau y bydd yr arolygiad o Wasanaethau Oedolion Cyngor Sir Powys yn dechrau’r mis hwn.  
  
Yn fy Natganiad Ysgrifenedig ar 21 Tachwedd, a wnaed ar y cyd ag Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus, nodwyd bod y Cyng. Rosemary Harris, Arweinydd Cyngor Powys, wedi gwneud cais am gymorth statudol o dan Fesur Llywodraeth Leol (Cymru) 2009\. Drwy Solace Advisory, comisiynodd Gweinidogion Cymru adolygiad cychwynnol gan gyn Brif Weithredwr Llywodraeth Leol profiadol. Rydym yn disgwyl y bydd yr adroddiad hwnnw’n barod erbyn mis Ionawr, a bydd yn cael ei ddefnyddio i ddatblygu pecyn cymorth llawn, gan gynnwys trefniadau llywodraethu cynhwysfawr.