Overview and Scrutiny

Social Care committee

The committee will scrutinise the quality and performance of all social care related services delivered by the Council.

The remit and scope of the committee in relation to social care related services is as follows:

• Adult care
• Children’s services
• Strategic joint commissioning
• Carers
• Integrated services and well-being
• Domiciliary care
• Work with the third sector
• Compliance with the Social Services and Well-being Act
• West Wales Care Partnership
• Regional safeguarding
• Regional fostering
• Regional adoption

The committee has 13 members and will meet at least five times per year. Details of committee members and future meetings, along with the committee work programme, can be found below.

Social care overview and scrutiny committee

 

19 June 2025

• Item: Corporate risk register and Corporate score card
• Purpose: To be reviewed and for areas for scrutiny to be identified.

• Item: Working with the 3rd Sector   
• Purpose: To understand and consider 3rd Sector provision including Respite care and care homes.

• Item: Working with the voluntary and community sector in Pembrokeshire     
• Purpose: The Committee requested an understanding of how and what finances have been applied for, the impact on the removal of the winter fuel allowance, reaching all communities and the funding of the CAB.

• Item: Review of children’s residential placements – to include children’s out of County placements  
• Purpose: Referral from Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee

• Item: Homelessness
• Purpose: The role of social services in addressing homelessness across the County.

• Item: Care for vulnerable younger adults, Children in care post 16 support and safeguarding
• Purpose: To have ongoing scrutiny and oversight to ensure that adequate measures are in place to comply with our statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults – To include the Governors support on safeguarding in Education (Bi-annual update) and to understand what support is provided/required.

• Item: LLAIS     
• Purpose: To present an update and overview of the work undertaken by LLAIS, formerly known as Community Health Council

 

11 September 2025

• Item: Residential placements update          
• Purpose: Update on the residential placements for children and to review the placement commissioning strategy.

• Item: Mental health issues youth    
• Purpose: To understand current pressures in relation to mental health provision for young people, and to scrutinise any proposed service developments.

• Item: Transitioning to new services adult and child services in the Authority     
• Purpose: An update on the services and the transition.

• Item: Operation Salus            
• Purpose: Update on Phase 2 of Operation Salus.

• Item: Neath Port Talbot          
• Purpose: That the Committee receive a report on the findings of the academic analysis of children’s safeguarding data in Neath Port Talbot.

 

13 November 2025  

• Item: GP and Pharmacy support      
• Purpose: To review the support provided by GPs and Pharmacies in relation to the long waiting lists and the preventative work and sign posting initiatives that were taking place.

• Item: Director of Social Care Directors Report       
• Purpose: To receive the report.

• Item: Adult social care collaborative communications   
• Purpose: To receive a presentation on collaborative communications within adult social care.

• Item: Update from the West Wales Regional Partnership Board 
• Purpose: To receive an update.

 

January 2026

• Item: Budget 2025-26            
• Purpose: To discuss the budget.

• Item: Young carers   
• Purpose: To understand the support that is required and available.

• Item: Poverty 
• Purpose: To obtain an overall understanding of the scale of poverty within the County and how the Authority can support the Social care service – to present the report received by Policy and Pre-decisions.

• Item: Residential placements update          
• Purpose: Update on the residential placements for children and to review the placement commissioning strategy.

• Item: LLAIS     
• Purpose: To present a six-monthly update and overview of the work undertaken by LLAIS.

• Item: Children’s services      
• Purpose: Update on the work of the Children’s services improvement and development under Operation Salus.

2026   

• Item: Citizens Advice Bureau             
• Purpose: To present an update of the work of the Citizens Advice Bureau.

• Item: Mental health issues  
• Purpose: To understand the support provided for Mental Health Issues and what more is required to include adult and staff support.

• Item: Advocacy           
• Purpose: Update of the Regional Advocacy Action Plan

• Item: Domestic violence/abuse      
• Purpose: Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) update

• Item: Joint working with young carers and adult carers  
• Purpose: To understand what support is provided/required to support young carers and adult carers and the transition that is required.