Latest news with #ElaineForehead
South Wales Argus
08-08-2025
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Care service in Caerphilly rated 'excellent' by inspectors
Caerphilly County Borough Council's Home Assistance Reablement Team (HART) and Supported Living Service, both branches of its domiciliary support provision, were rated "excellent" by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) following an inspection in April and May 2025. The services support individuals with learning disabilities and those needing short-term or emergency care through reablement. Councillor Elaine Forehead, cabinet member for social care, said: "This report highlights the consistently high standards of care delivered by our frontline teams across both services. "Whether it's supporting individuals at home through reablement or helping people in supported living achieve their personal goals, staff play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and independence. "We welcome the findings and remain committed to continuous improvement and delivering the best possible outcomes for those we support." The CIW report commended the services for empowering individuals, fostering independence, and delivering compassionate, high-quality care. Both services were rated "excellent" in overall well-being and care and support, and "good" in leadership and management. Inspectors found that people supported by the services were achieving "outstanding" well-being outcomes, thanks to skilled staff and a strong person-centred approach. The report said individuals were given "meaningful choices" and the support they needed to achieve personal goals, such as daily decision-making and even international travel. CIW described care and support planning as "robust, personalised, and outcome-driven." The HART team was praised for its multi-disciplinary, person-led assessment meetings, while the supported living service was recognised for developing more accessible and engaging care plans. The supported living team, which assists adults with learning disabilities, was also commended for its creativity and focus on helping people live fulfilled lives in their communities. Leadership and management were rated as "good," with the report noting strong governance and a culture of continuous improvement. Staff development, career progression opportunities, and a skilled, stable workforce were highlighted as key strengths. A temporary staffing gap had affected the frequency of staff supervision, but inspectors confirmed the issue had since been resolved. The only area identified for improvement was the promotion of the Welsh language and culture, which the service is currently not meeting to a satisfactory standard. However, no priority action notices or urgent improvements were required, reflecting the service's commitment to quality, safety, and responsive care. The domiciliary support service operates across the county without registered places, offering both supported living and reablement support to individuals in their own homes and communities. The council said the report demonstrates its ongoing commitment to delivering compassionate, person-centred care that makes a real difference in people's lives. It follows a series of positive inspections for Caerphilly's social care services in recent years, with CIW repeatedly highlighting the professionalism and dedication of front-line staff. No other areas for improvement were identified during the inspection, further reinforcing the council's reputation for high standards in adult social care. Councillor Forehead said: "We are extremely proud of our teams and the positive impact they have on the lives of those they support."
South Wales Argus
10-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly Council's commitment to safeguarding
The council has published its 2024/25 Corporate Safeguarding Annual Report, outlining progress and priorities in safeguarding. The report highlights improvements made over the past year, including strengthened management structures across children's and adult services and enhanced decision-making within the Information, Advice and Assistance (IAA) team. Councillor Elaine Forehead, cabinet member for social care, said: "Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and this year's report shows our council is making substantial progress to strengthen safeguarding at every level. "The new systems and training frameworks now in place put us in a strong position to maintain high standards and respond swiftly to any concerns." A key development this year was the introduction of the council's new Learning Management System, Thinqi, which improves tracking and reporting of safeguarding training compliance. All staff and elected members are now required to complete two online training modules: one covering basic safeguarding awareness and another focused on recognising and responding to domestic abuse. The training is fully aligned with the National Safeguarding Training Framework (NSTF). The council has addressed all internal audit recommendations from 2023/24 and used self-assessments by Designated Safeguarding Persons (DSPs) to guide targeted improvements, including better training oversight and increased attention to site security. Caerphilly continues to take a regional leadership role in safeguarding, hosting the Gwent Police West Safeguarding Hub and supporting multi-agency initiatives such as Operation Encompass and the National Referral Mechanism. Following a June 2024 inspection, Estyn praised the council's safeguarding culture within education, describing the support as "outstanding." Looking ahead, the council plans to deliver additional training to social services staff, ensure full completion of mandatory safeguarding e-learning modules, develop a safeguarding awareness poster for public areas, and align safeguarding procedures with GDPR and social media policies.
South Wales Argus
24-04-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
How much are Meals on Wheels in Caerphilly county?
A county borough council committee agreed, on Tuesday April 22, to endorse proposals for a flat rate of £6.89 for a daily main meal and dessert. Caerphilly County Borough Council currently operates a two-tier pricing system for the subsidised service. Most residents (79%) who are signed up to Meals Direct were referred by social services, and pay a lower daily rate of £4.18, while others – who joined the scheme themselves, or via a relative – pay the higher fee of £6.89 each day. The council has proposed removing the lower rate as the 'first stage in making Meals Direct a sustainable service', in line with a cabinet u-turn on axing the scheme last year. At the time, critics argued Meals Direct was a 'lifeline' for elderly or vulnerable people who may otherwise be isolated. At Tuesday's committee meeting, Cllr Elaine Forehead, the cabinet member for social services, said the new proposal 'seeks to harmonise the subsidy paid by all users'. She said charging 'even the highest subsidised rate does not cover the cost to the council' of preparing and delivering meals to hundreds of customers. Cllr Colin Gordon said some neighbouring local authorities' fees ranged from £5.50 to £6.50 a day last year, and asked how much other councils planned to charge in the new financial year. Jo Williams, the council's head of adult services, said the Welsh daily average was 'around £8' last year, adding officers would be seeking the new figures for 2025/26. But Cllr Teresa Parry said she 'would feel far more comfortable voting today if I could see the comparisons' for this year. Cllr Steve Skivens said his relative is a Meals Direct recipient, and told colleagues the scheme 'should be continued in its current format'. Some private firms charged as little as £3.99 a day for similar frozen meal services, claimed Cllr Charlotte Bishop, who said 'our prices should be better than a private company'. Ms Williams said private firms typically delivered meals to customers in bulk, 'weekly, sometimes fortnightly', and their costs include 'considerably less overheads' than the council's. Cllr Pat Cook asked whether single delivery drivers, rather than the usual two staff members, could prove a way for the council to save money. The area Meals Direct covers, combined with the number of deliveries, meant there was 'no way it could be done by one person', Ms Williams replied. The committee voted 9-1, with four abstentions, to back the council's proposals. Cabinet members will make a final decision in the coming weeks, and if they back removing the lower rate, the policy will come into effect on Tuesday July 1.
