I am adding my voice to the mounting chorus of calls for urgent action to improve children’s services in Bridgend.
I have written to council leader Huw David in the wake of a report from Care Inspectorate Wales which raised serious concerns about the way in which this department operates.
Their inspection follows the horrific murder of five year old Logan Mwangi by his mother, step father and step brother when a brutal and sustained assault on the child caused catastrophic injuries.
I understand that Logan was removed from the at-risk register by children’s services shortly before his death. We need to know on what basis that crucial decision was taken.
The trial of his killers heard that a social worker called at the house the day before his death when he would have already been badly injured. She was put off seeing him when she was told he had Covid.
These tricks are commonplace when abusive parents are trying to cover up their crimes. We all remember Baby P’s mother smearing chocolate on his face to stop social workers seeing his bruises. Social workers need to be trained to be aware of these tactics.
All the circumstances of this case are subject to a child practice review which is being published in the autumn.
But in the meantime, a new inspection by the Care Inspectorate found that urgent action was needed to deal with staff absences and recruitment issues coupled with the way in which oversight of cases is managed as they have all had an adverse effect on the delivery of children’s services.
I have asked Coun David to let me know what actions have already been taken to address these failings. I have also asked for the figures for temporary agency staff employed by the council to plug gaps in this department over the past three years and for them to outline what steps have been taken to recruit permanent workers.
The Welsh Labour Government has refused to order a Wales--wide review into children’s services which makes Wales the only part of the UK not conducting one despite the fact that Wales has the highest percentage of looked-after children in the UK.
Having a national inquiry in Wales would pinpoint problems in other areas and could prevent another needless child death. I remain mystified as to why Mark Drakeford has refused this request. Innocent children’s lives are at stake here.