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The committee considered an update on support for unpaid carers and young carers in Wrexham, and a draft work programme for 2025-26. On carers, it welcomed the report and asked for future reports to show which communities use the service. On the work programme, it agreed to revise the Berwyn Prison and Community Safety topic forms and to invite North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to those items.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Trevor Bates, Marc Jones, and Rondo Roberts.
During confirmation of the minutes from the meeting held on 9 July 2025, it was noted that the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust presentation had only been received by the Scrutiny Facilitator on the morning of the meeting. The Committee agreed to include the presentation as part of the record to ensure all members had access to the information. AGREED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025 be signed as a correct record, with the addition of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust presentation
Decision as recorded
AGREED: i) That the Committee formally welcomes, thanks, and congratulates the Officers, Lead Members, and the wider department for the production of this excellent report. ii) That the Committee fully endorses the renewed involvement of NEWCIS and acknowledges the valuable expertise they have contributed to the progress and achievements outlined over the past 12 months. iii) That the Committee requests that future reports provide information on the communities within the County Borough engaged by the unpaid carers service to promote available support, including any recorded uptake from those areas.
The Chief Officer for Social Care submitted a report (COSC/14/25) on adult unpaid carers and young carers in Wrexham, highlighting the significant impact caring can have on wellbeing and the importance of accessible support. The report was introduced by Councillor Rob Walsh, Lead Member for Children’s and Family Services, with contributions from Councillor John Pritchard (Adult Social Care), Interim Chief Officer Rhian Thomas, and NEWCIS (North East Wales Carers Information Service) representatives. It was highlighted that: · Wrexham Council continued to recognise and support the vital role unpaid carers play in the community. · The young carers’ service was funded annually at £63,000 and delivered by CREDU in partnership with Denbighshire and Conwy councils, under a contract running until March 2027, with a possible three-year extension. · NEWCIS was based at the Wellbeing Hub and recent developments included updated carer information on the Council website, regular bulletins reaching 627 unpaid carers, pharmacy engagement promoting young carer ID cards and services, quarterly Young Carer Action Plan meetings with partners and officers, biannual feedback opportunities for young carers, and planned training for councillors in the new year and wider staff in autumn. · Wrexham was the first local authority in Wales to sign the Unpaid Carers Covenant in 2023 and was working to bridge the gap for young adult carers transitioning from youth services. · A dedicated post spanned both adult and young carers, enabling a joined-up approach. · Case studies in the report illustrated the challenges carers faced and the importance of continued support. · The Unpaid Carer Development Officer, was recognised for her outstanding contribution. · The strong partnership with Wrexham Council and investment in carer support was commended. · Listening to carers through forums and engagement helped shape future action plans. The following was discussed: · The portion of Welsh Government funding received by Wrexham Council was partly allocated to the young carers’ provider for respite group trips and individual support, including residential theatre programmes. · Adult unpaid carers were offered short break grants averaging £300. · High demand for short break grants has led to a phased rollout, necessitated by limited staffing capacity and demand surpassing the available funding provided by the Welsh Government. · Additional respite was available via NEWCIS through core-funded schemes like Bridging the Gap. · The committee noted strong interest in these grants and the need for continued investment. · Welsh Government funding for AMSA grants was expected to continue until 2026, though confirmation beyond that was pending. · A total of 29,438 contacts were made with unpaid carers last year, including phone calls, emails, assessments, and general support, all logged by duty officers available daily. · NEWCIS provided same-day responses to carers, ensuring timely follow-up support and assessments, regardless of whether the initial contact was made with the most appropriate officer. · Face-to-face support was regularly provided through meetings at the Wellbeing Hub, home visits, and community-based sessions tailored to individual preferences. · A secured funding package of £1,606,697 over seven years (£229,000 per annum) was confirmed, separate from core council funding. This supported additional services such as respite breaks, food boxes for carers in crisis, and AMSA-funded activities. · NEWCIS also accessed its own AMSA funding stream, allowing further flexibility in delivering support. · Weekly referral rates ranged from 30 to 50 new carers, indicating strong outreach and growing awareness. · Awareness efforts have included targeted social media campaigns, collaboration with the Council’s communications team, and active participation in national and seasonal events. · Roadshows and community engagement have strengthened visibility, supported by over 100 referral pathways with partners · Staff training has helped carers recognise their roles, often through indirect outreach via family and friends. · Awareness was expanding across departments, with frontline staff identifying carers during home visits. · A revised carers offer introduced in 2022 has improved support, and the appointment of an Unpaid Carer Lead has strengthened links between young and adult carers. Feedback shows increased satisfaction, and action plans are regularly reviewed to align with the Council’s broader strategy. · Committee members praised the report and noted positive progress. · Young carers did not apply for grants directly; funding was allocated to the service, which provided one-to-one support and group activities. · A small number of carers under the age of eight were supported, with tailored approaches differing from those used for older teens. · Schools played a key role in identifying young carers, with lunchtime groups and one-to-one sessions helping children raise concerns. · Staff from the young carers service have been trained to identify risks and escalate concerns to social care. · The service provider attends head teacher cluster meetings and delivers training to school staff to help them recognise signs of caring responsibilities. · Outreach was ongoing, with stronger relationships in some schools than others. Despite having only three staff members, the service continued to expand its reach, particularly in primary schools. · Newsletters were used to promote training opportunities to teaching staff across the county. · Members highlighted the importance of recognising young carers who may not identify themselves, especially those gradually taking on responsibilities at home. · The emotional and developmental impact of caring on children was acknowledged, with emphasis on continued awareness-raising and support. · The committee expressed deep appreciation for the work being done, noting that public services relied heavily on unpaid carers and their support was vital to community wellbeing. · Committee members requested a breakdown of community engagement over the past 12 months, including areas visited and uptake levels. · Roadshows took place across Wrexham, including libraries, community centres, and venues such as George Edwards Hall in Cefn Mawr, with efforts to reach harder-to-access areas like Llan Elm and Caia Park. · Attendance figures were recorded and new registrations noted, though individual names would not be shared. · Outreach in areas without community centres posed challenges, but efforts were ongoing to ensure all communities are included. · Officers agreed to review the data for public sharing, noting that low attendance figures in some areas may be withheld to avoid identification. · The value of outreach was emphasised, even where attendance was low, as awareness often leads to later recognition and referrals through informal conversations. AGREED: i) That the Committee formally welcomes, thanks, and congratulates the Officers, Lead Members, and the wider department for the production of this excellent report. ii) That the Committee fully endorses the renewed involvement of NEWCIS and acknowledges the valuable expertise they have contributed to the progress and achievements outlined over the past 12 months. iii) That the Committee requests that future reports provide information on the communities within the County Borough engaged by the unpaid carers service to promote available support, including any recorded uptake from those areas.
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Decision as recorded
AGREED: (i) That the committee agreed to revise and resubmit the topic request form for Berwyn Prison and Community Safety, with consideration given to aligning both items to reflect overlapping community impacts. (ii) That representatives from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service be invited the meetings that involved Berwyn Prison and Community Safety. (iii) That the committee endorsed the integration of the childcare topic into the upcoming Childcare Sufficiency Assessment update. (iv) That officers determine the appropriate service area for scrutiny in care provision (v) That the annual budget to be reported to Committee in February.
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer had submitted a report (COGC/67/25) inviting Members to consider the draft work programme of the Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, as set out in Appendix 1. The Scrutiny Facilitator introduced the report, noting that: a) The committee routinely reviewed its work programme and that September marked the start of the annual cycle. b) Items from September to December had been provisionally agreed. c) October’s meeting was set to focus solely on the Children’s and Adult Services report due to its scale. d) November will include Community Agents and the Community Safety Plan, both confirmed and aligned with statutory timelines. e) December had been allocated to the Library Review and the expanded Berwyn Prison report, which now covered the full prisoner journey and associated service inputs. Members responded with a range of queries and suggestions: · Members raised concerns about the scope of the Berwyn Prison item regarding its relevance to Wrexham Council’s direct involvement. · It had been suggested that the Berwyn Prison report should focus on areas such as social care delivery, officer time, and the impact on local services, particularly the fire brigade. · Members had agreed that the report should reflect the council’s relationship with the prison, rather than general prisoner experiences. · A case study had been proposed to illustrate council-led interventions, subject to input from relevant departments. · Concerns was also been raised regarding drone-related drug drops at HMP Berwyn and their effect on the local community and whether this issue could be addressed through the Community Safety Plan. · Members proposed linking the Berwyn Prison item with the Community Safety Plan to reflect shared issues, whilst keeping the reports separate. · Members suggested rescheduling some agenda items, pending logistical and statutory considerations. Reviewing the police report in December was confirmed as compliant. · The committee recommended inviting North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to provide input on prison-related callouts. · The Berwyn Prison topic request form was to be updated, with the Scrutiny Facilitator and interim Chief Officer for Social Services tasked to present it at the next meeting. · Members considered a new topic proposal on the public toilet strategy, noting its relevance to accessibility and visitor experience and its suitability for review by this committee. · A topic request form was submitted highlighting childcare provision, with particular emphasis on the expanded 30-hour entitlement and associated workforce capacity considerations. · Members noted that childcare provision was already addressed within the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, covering areas such as Flying Start, staffing, Welsh language gaps, and provider viability. It was proposed to incorporate this into the existing assessment update rather than treat it as a separate item. · Disparities in care provision was raised and members requested clarification on whether it related to adult or children’s services. · Members were invited to suggest topics for the January to June period. · Members were informed that the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust had been scheduled for July. · A February slot had been proposed for the annual budget report, in line with previous years’ scheduling. · The Scrutiny Facilitator encouraged all members and contributors to submit topic suggestions and stressed the importance of receiving complete and relevant reports from external bodies. AGREED: (i) That the committee agreed to revise and resubmit the topic request form for Berwyn Prison and Community Safety, with consideration given to aligning both items to reflect overlapping community impacts. (ii) That representatives from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service be invited the meetings that involved Berwyn Prison and Community Safety. (iii) That the committee endorsed the integration of the childcare topic into the upcoming Childcare Sufficiency Assessment update. (iv) That officers determine the appropriate service area for scrutiny in care provision (v) That the annual budget to be reported to Committee in February.