Care Inspectorate Wales concludes improvement check of Blaenau Gwent adult services
We inspected Blaenau Gwent's adult services from 6 to 8 October 2025 to review progress made against previously identified areas for improvement.
Blaenau Gwent has made meaningful progress in enhancing adult services for people with a learning disability. This is supported by a strong workforce commitment, strengthened engagement with people, quality assurance practices and expanded employment opportunities. They need to continue developing several areas, including safeguarding, review timeliness, contingency planning, direct payments and carers' assessments.
This inspection follows an assurance check conducted in March 2024.
Key improvements identified
Our inspection found a passionate and committed workforce supported by a culture of continuous learning and development. These include regular opportunities for practitioners to reflect on their practice and share learning.
The local authority has strengthened quality assurance processes with a revised framework embedding outcomes-focused and strengths-based approaches.
There has been clear progress in expanding work-based and voluntary opportunities for people with a learning disability. Partnership working with Torfaen County Borough Council and Trailblazer funding have improved employment pathways, with positive examples of people achieving their personal wellbeing outcomes.
Safeguarding arrangements ensure people are safe. The local authority has strengthened quality assurance practices and oversight, supported by group supervision, practice development and multi-agency collaboration.
Support for carers, including younger carers, has strengthened, along with engagement with people to promote their voice in service delivery.
Direct payments are being promoted more effectively through training and user-friendly guides.
Areas requiring further development
Whilst recognising these improvements, our inspection identified some areas where further progress is needed.
Practice consistency remains variable across care records. People are not always offered copies of care and support plans or carers consistently offered an assessment of their needs.
Safeguarding meetings and enquires need strengthening to ensure they consistent align with required timescales. Challenges regarding information sharing timeliness and access to specialist healthcare services highlight the need for continued partner collaboration.
Care and support plan reviews need to be more timely , and contingency planning needs to be more robust to respond to emergencies.
Next steps
We expect the local authority to consider the areas identified for improvement and take appropriate action to address them. We will monitor progress through our ongoing performance review activity.