Cabinet backs plans for children’s support service

BRIDGEND Council’s cabinet has approved plans to create a regional service that would support children and young people who are looked after or with a plan for adoption.

The Multi Agency Permanence Support Service (MAPSS) involves the assessment of a child’s needs and the provision of a range of therapeutic interventions and strategies to children and their carers, supporting the child to process traumatic or difficult life experiences.

Previously, the county borough was part of the Western Bay MAPSS which came to an end earlier this year, following the changes in health boundaries and the move across into a new regional footprint in 2019.

The local authority is now due to enter into a regional collaboration with Rhondda Cynon

Taf Council and Merthyr Tydfil Council in order to procure the service for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region.

BCBC’s cabinet member for social services Nicole Burnett said: “The new service will appoint a specialist provider to help create a multidisciplinary ‘therapeutic intervention’ service to support placement stability and achieve positive outcomes to children with the highest needs through joint working, robust assessments and a suite of therapeutic options.

“The voice of the young people is paramount and will be central to the service and reflected through assessment, intervention and the review process.”

The service contract is due to be three years with the annual budget across the region estimated at around £670,000.

Cabinet approved plans to enter into the regional collaboration agreement at a meeting on Tuesday, October 20, with officers being delegated to agree the terms and award the service contract once the procurement process has been undertaken.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will act as the lead authority for the procurement.