Local authority performance evaluation: Powys County Council social services

The purpose of this inspection was to review how well Powys County Council Social Services continue to help and support adults and children with a focus on safety and well-being.

For this inspection, we considered the safety of services, the safety and well-being of people who work in services, and the safety and well-being of people who use or may need to use services.

Overview

People – voice and control: We identified that people in Powys can be assured the local authority is committed to enabling people to have their voices heard and ensuring they receive the care and support they need. Work is required to support continued improvement and embed good practice across all service areas.

Prevention: We found there is improved communication between local authority officers and council members with a joint focus on prevention, which will ensure communities and services become sustainable for the future.

Well-being: We found that senior managers and lead members have introduced a new culture of expectation and standards in social care in Powys. The local authority is aware of the challenges this presents and is working hard with all stakeholders to support the safety and well-being of people who work in services, and the safety and well-being of people who use or may need to use services.

Partnerships, integration and co-production: The local authority must continue to progress and reflect on the importance of effective leadership and governance, in ensuring it succeeds in delivering upon its statutory responsibilities and functions.

Next steps

We expect the areas of improvement we have identified to be included in the local authority’s improvement plans. We will monitor progress through our on-going performance evaluation activity with Powys County Council.

To view all our findings and recommendations read the full letter below.