Care Inspectorate Wales concludes improvement check of Bridgend children’s services
We inspected Bridgend’s children’s services from 23 to 25 June 2025 to assess the progress made against previously identified areas for improvement.
Care Inspectorate Wales has found, through sustained leadership and workforce investment, significant improvements in Bridgend’s children’s services, particularly in workforce stability and quality assurance, while also identifying areas where further progress is needed.
This inspection follows a Performance Evaluation Inspection (PEI) conducted in May 2022 and a Joint Inspection of Child Protection Arrangements (JICPA) in June 2023.
Key improvements identified
Our inspection found that the local authority has moved from serious staffing shortages to an increasingly stable workforce. This is the most significant improvement since our previous inspection.
Agency staff numbers have dramatically reduced from 41% in 2023 to just 7% by June 2025.
Our staff survey found 86% of employees would recommend working at Bridgend County Borough Council to a friend, indicating improved staff morale and job satisfaction.
The authority has successfully implemented 'grow your own' and international recruitment programmes for social work. This sustained focus on workforce wellbeing and practice quality underpins the authority's capacity to drive forward and sustain improvements.
We found the local authority responds to safeguarding enquiries in a timely manner, with nearly all children receiving visits in line with Wales Safeguarding Procedures requirements.
The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub facilitates effective partnership working between agencies.
Operational partners work well together with confidence in decision-making for safeguarding. This is supported by effective systems for escalation and a healthy culture of professional challenge through regular multi-agency meetings.
The authority's 'Think Family' strategic plan is introducing integrated information, advice and assistance services, early help, and locality-based support. Early indicators show positive impact, including a 16% reduction in children allocated to specialist teams and a 48% reduction in child protection allocations.
92% of children who received edge of care services in 2024-25 avoided entering the care system. This shows that early intervention is meeting children's needs at the right time and reducing pressure on statutory services.
Areas requiring further development
Whilst recognising these improvements, our inspection identified some areas where further progress is needed.
Practice remains variable across teams, meaning some children and families are experiencing the positive impact of improvements more than others. The authority must continue working to achieve consistent practice across all staff and teams.
Placement sufficiency remains a challenge, with ongoing work needed to develop sufficient foster care and residential placements, particularly for children with the greatest needs.
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.