There was a reduction in child safeguarding reports in the first part of the year but an increase in the number of adults reported at risk, according to latest reports.

Safeguarding data for Q4, covering January to March 2021, was presented to members of Ceredigion council’s overview and scrutiny co-ordinating committee on Wednesday, 15 September, by director of social services Sian Howys.

Ceredigion county councillors were told that the number of children on the child protection register had also reduced in Q4, by 17 children as 24 were deregistered during that time and seven others were registered.

The report to committee highlighted that there was a slight decrease from the previous quarter in safeguarding reports, with numbers lower than during the same quarter the previous year – 99 compared to 106 in 2020 – but increases were expected as schools reopened.

Initial child protection conferences were held within the required timescales but 65 per cent of reviews were, due to staff sickness absence and prioritisation of initial conferences, states the report. There had been an increase from 117 adults reported at risk in Q3 to 146 in Q4, which is similar to the previous year, with a “marked” reduction during quarters one to three due to Covid restrictions.

“This quarter we have received an increase number of reports in relation to concerns in care homes and in terms of domiciliary care support about pressure areas, the management of medication, thefts undertaken by professional care staff and reports of concerns about the misuse or non-use of PPE,” states the report, with the committee told it was important these matters were reported to be dealt with.

It was noted that there were six instances where a protection plan was needed, five cases in someone’s home and one case in a care home, with one person safeguarded from a paid employee, two from relatives or friends and one from another.

Mrs Howys highlighted that there was “a period of restructuring” underway and teams were being combined and new teams created to work across all ages to “make the best use of staff” and that work included looking at ways to address the causes of abuse.