Care Inspectorate Wales concludes assurance check of Bridgend County Borough Council's adult services
Bridgend's adult social services benefit from effective leadership, strong corporate support and mature partnership arrangements, but further developments are needed with workforce resilience, assessment and review practice, support for carers, and care and support pathways.
We have recently completed an assurance check of Bridgend County Borough Council's adult’s social services. The assurance check, which took place between 13 and 18 July 2026, assessed the local authority's performance in exercising its duties and functions in line with legislation.
Overall, we found a service with a clear strategic direction, effective governance and significant strength in partnership working. However, workforce pressures and inconsistencies in assessment and review practice are limiting the delivery of these ambitions for some people.
Key strengths identified
Staff demonstrate strong professional commitment, working within supportive teams underpinned by a well-understood strengths-based practice model and effective, accessible leadership.
The Early Intervention and Prevention Hub and a strong range of community-based preventative services support early identification of need and reduce reliance on long-term statutory services.
Safeguarding is an area of positive practice, with all staff survey respondents agreeing that people are protected from abuse and neglect, supported by the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and dedicated workstreams on key risks.
Integrated working arrangements and mature partnerships, including Section 33 agreements and co-located multidisciplinary teams, are a significant strength, supporting coordinated, person-centred responses for people with complex needs.
Areas for improvement
Workforce resilience, turnover and sickness absence are affecting staff wellbeing and continuity of support. The local authority should maintain a focus on workforce planning and wellbeing.
The quality and consistency of assessments and reviews require improvement. The local authority should strengthen assessment practice and establish clear minimum standards for reviews.
Carers continue to experience difficulties accessing timely support, including delays in reviews and inconsistent access to assessments and respite. The local authority must ensure carers are offered assessments in line with statutory requirements.
There is variability in mental capacity and best interest decision-making, with inconsistent oversight of deprivation of liberty restrictions. The local authority should strengthen legal literacy and senior oversight to ensure decisions are consistently applied and recorded.
Next steps
We have asked Bridgend County Borough Council to consider the areas identified for improvement and take appropriate action. Where relevant, we expect the local authority to share the positive practice identified with other local authorities across Wales.
Read the full findings in the report: