Disclosure Log

Question

Please provide the following information in relation to the Head of Children’s Services at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council:

1. A full description of their current role, responsibilities, and decision-making authority within Children’s Services.

2. Copies of any organisational charts showing the structure of Children’s Services, including where this role sits within the wider council hierarchy.

3. Details of any policies, procedures, or statutory guidance that govern the decision-making responsibilities of the Head of Children’s Services.

4. Information on how decisions made by the Head of Children’s Services are reviewed, challenged, or overseen, including any internal or external accountability mechanisms.

5. The process by which concerns or complaints about decisions made at Head of Service level are handled.

6. Copies of any recent (last 12 months) reports, audits, or inspections relating to the performance of Children’s Services.

7. The name and role of the individual(s) who provide direct oversight of the Head of Children’s Services.

Answer

1. A full description of her current role, responsibilities, and decision-making authority within Children’s Services. See attached.

2. Copies of any organisational charts showing the structure of Children’s Services, including where this role sits within the wider council hierarchy. See attached.

3. Details of any policies, procedures, or statutory guidance that govern the decision-making responsibilities of the Head of Children’s Services.

The decision making responsibilities of the Head of Children’s Services in Wales are governed by statutory duties established under the Social Services and Well being (Wales) Act 2014 and its accompanying Codes of Practice, which local authorities are required to follow when exercising social services functions. This includes adherence to the Part 8 Code of Practice outlining governance, accountability, safeguarding leadership and oversight expectations within children’s services.

Operational decision making relating to assessments, thresholds, intervention planning and the provision of care and support is directed by the Part 3 Code of Practice, which sets out statutory requirements for assessing the needs of children and families, emphasising child centred, strengths based, proportionate professional judgement.

Safeguarding responsibilities are governed by the Welsh Government’s Working Together to Safeguard People guidance, including Volume 5 (Protection of Children at Risk), issued via Social Care Wales, which sets out mandatory multi agency duties and case management expectations. Additionally, responsibilities relating to placements, fostering and panel decision making are shaped by the Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018, as amended, which define the approval, review and governance framework for fostering decisions within local authorities.

Collectively, these statutory instruments ensure that the Head of Children’s Services exercises clear, defensible, lawful and accountable leadership in safeguarding, assessment, care planning, and the overall delivery of children’s social care.

4. Information on how decisions made by the Head of Children’s Services are reviewed, challenged, or overseen, including any internal or external accountability mechanisms.

scrutiny, cabinet, and council meetings.

Browse all meetings: Here

5. The process by which concerns or complaints about decisions made at Head of Service level are handled. We have attached the Social Services Complaint policy.

6. Copies of any recent (last 12 months) reports, audits, or inspections relating to the performance of Children’s Services.

The Social Services Annual Report 2024/25 went to Council on the 12th November 2025 and the link to the meeting papers will be included in the link HERE

7. The name and role of the individual(s) who provide direct oversight of the Head of Children’s Services. Lisa Curtis Jones Director of social services