Flintshire County Council shows continued progress in developing adult social care

Positive developments have been recognised in a Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) improvement check visit to Flintshire County Council’s Adult Social Services.

The Council has welcomed the findings, which highlighted positive progress and developments across the service.

The visit by CIW focused on the local authority’s response to previous recommendations and its continued commitment to delivering high-quality care and support for adults and their carers. Inspectors identified improvement in all areas, including service delivery, leadership, and the overall experience of individuals receiving support.

Inspectors noted that services are led and delivered within the context of significant pressures and challenges, noting effective and positive practice in a range of areas. Among the positive outcomes noted by CIW were reflections that:

• Adult services are delivered by a committed and experienced workforce, supported by visible leadership with a clear focus on strengths-based and person-centred practice.
• People are treated with dignity and respect, and there are examples of good quality assessments where people’s circumstances, communication needs and views are well understood.
• The local authority demonstrates a clear commitment to prevention and early intervention, supported by a range of community-based services. Early and flexible support helps prevent escalation and sustain people’s independence.
• Safeguarding practice benefits from experienced leadership, strong multi-agency relationships and a culture that prioritises people’s safety and wellbeing. Practitioners often respond proportionately to risk, identify patterns of concern and work effectively with partners.

CIW confirmed that the local authority has taken action to address all areas identified in the previous inspection and has demonstrated progress in each area.  CIW has made recommendations to support the next phase of the local authority’s improvement journey which focuses on ensuring practice is consistent, sustainable and fully embedded across the service as the local authority responds to growing demand and increasingly complex needs.

Councillor Christine Jones, Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing, said: 

“We are pleased that CIW has recognised the progress made across Adults’ Services. These improvements reflect the dedication and hard work of our staff, who remain committed to providing safe, high-quality and compassionate care.

"While we recognise there is always more to do, this report demonstrates a positive direction of travel and our ongoing focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for the people we support.”

Craig Macleod, Chief Officer for Social Services, added:

“CIW’s findings provide assurance that we are taking the right steps to improve and develop our services.

"As we move forward, our focus will be on embedding these improvements, strengthening our quality assurance processes, investing in workforce development, and working closely with people who use our services to shape future delivery.

"Crucially, we remain firmly focused on targeting our finite resources to support residents who have been assessed as having eligible care and support needs, ensuring they receive high-quality, person-centred care."