MEMBERS of Bridgend County Borough Council’s cabinet have approved the area’s corporate safeguarding report.
The report for 2023-24, which was given to members at a meeting in December, gave details about the safeguarding provisions on offer from social services in Bridgend county borough, as well as how vulnerable adults and children are being supported.
The documents given to councillors revealed how the authority has tried to improve its service and provisions in the last year, despite issues with rising numbers of referrals and the budget pressures it currently faces.
The report read: “Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. It is a corporate responsibility for BCBC to safeguard vulnerable individuals from harm, abuse, and neglect.”
Data contained within the report showed increases in the number of safeguarding referrals made to the authority, along with a rise in the number of children being excluded from schools, with the past school year having the “highest number of permanent exclusions the directorate has ever experienced”.
However, there was said to be a reduction in the number of children who were made subject to the Child Protection Register from the previous year after “targeted work and a more stable workforce”.
A council spokesperson said: “Covering a variety of key areas ranging from adult social care, children and family services, to housing, and education, the report highlights how safeguarding arrangements continue to be improved and strengthened, with enhanced operating models put in place for children and family services and adult social care over the last year.
“Against a backdrop of rising referrals for adults at risk, as well as for children and family services, staff from social services continue to be supported, ensuring that the increased case-load is still managed well and within compliance targets.”
Following the approval of the report, the deputy leader of Bridgend council, Cllr Jane Gebbie added despite the challenges faced, safeguarding would continue to be of prime importance to the local authority.
