Risk Of Child Abuse, Slavery And Domestic Violence In Gwynedd As 'High' Due To Lack Of Safeguarding Training,

The risk level at Gwynedd council has been judged as “high” when it comes to protecting children and adults from abuse, neglect, radicalisation, slavery, domestic violence and exploitation, say auditors. 

The council auditors could only offer “limited assurance” on Gwynedd’s safeguarding arrangements after random checks found some residential home staff had not received mandatory training.

Gwynedd council said steps are already underway to address the findings, but issues raised include some residential home staff not having completed the necessary “safeguarding of vulnerable adults” training, with others also requiring a refresher after more than three years had passed since their last session.

Auditors also found that some leisure centre staff had failed to complete “e-learning” modules on safeguarding adults, child protection and safeguarding and domestic abuse.

As a result, Gwynedd’s audit committee passed to discuss the findings of the report during a sub-committee meeting over the coming weeks.

In their summing up, the internal audit noted that, while nine out of 10 staff members at one leisure centre had completed the ‘Safeguarding Adults’, ‘Child Protection and Safeguarding’ and ‘Domestic Abuse’ modules in the last two years, only a “small number” of staff from the other centres had completed the safeguarding modules.

They had been told by one duty manager that this training was “under way” and that the intention was to get the workers to complete the training “in the coming weeks.”

The auditors confirmed that a sample of officers from the four homes were selected and each was found to have a current Disclosure and Barring Service  (DBS) disclosure.

However, the report added: “Not all (care home) staff had received safeguarding of vulnerable adults training, and cases were identified where it was necessary for the training to be renewed.

“Employees should receive classroom training for safeguarding every three years. The training of several staff dated back more than the three-year period with some dating back to 2010.
“The manager was aware of the situation and it was found that she had organised safeguarding training for 13 members of staff during the year to come.”

It added: “E-learning training records including ‘Domestic Abuse’, ‘Safeguarding Adults’ and ‘Child Protection and Safeguarding’ modules were checked, a small number of staff had completed these modules at the time of the audit.

“Managers were aware of the need to complete these modules, one of them identified the difficulties they have had to get access to all staff and also the need to ensure a supply of staff on duty while others complete the modules.

“It is not necessary for staff to complete the safeguarding modules as they already receive face to face training but in terms of the ‘Domestic Abuse’ module it is necessary for all council staff to complete the module.”

Responding to the findings, a Gwynedd Council spokesperson said that robust arrangements and procedures to ensure that residents are protected is “a priority.”

“Every member of staff is responsible for reporting on concerns or suspicion that individuals are being abused,” he added.

More - https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/17449306.auditors-judge-risk-of-child-abuse-slavery-and-domestic-violence-in-gwynedd-as-high-due-to-lack-of-safeguarding-training/

7 Managers And Three Members Of Staff Have Left Gisda, amid Bullying Claims.

Ten former employees at a homeless charity have said the chief executive's behaviour led them to leave their jobs.

Since 2011, seven managers and three members of staff have left Gisda, with many claiming to have been bullied.
The board of directors at the charity, based in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, said it had confidence in the ability of Sian Elen Tomos.
The youth charity is "committed to creating a healthy work space for its entire staff," the board added.
The BBC has spoken to 10 former Gisda employees who claim Ms Tomos's managerial style was the reason they left.

None were willing to do an interview publicly - but one agreed to speak anonymously.

Eileen - not her real name - said Ms Tomos "could make people feel very uncomfortable".
"Not taking into account what anyone else said, ignoring people and making it obvious in front of other people, turning her back on you as you were speaking to her and walking away," she explained.
"I've seen her walking out of a number of meetings. She would not speak to people for days. Not speaking at all. And she could be nasty to people too.
"I think she worked on people's weaknesses - bullyng, really."

"I didn't want to go to work," she added. "I think it affected young people too. They could see so much turnover.
"There was a feeling that she was untouchable. If anyone disagreed with her she got rid of them - or worked to get rid of them."

A letter sent to the board of directors and seen by the BBC shows a number of staff complained about the situation in 2017.

The BBC understands only three formal complaints have been made since 2011, but a number of former staff said they did not complain formally because they felt they would be ignored.

The letter noted staff felt "suspicious, dispirited, anxious and angry", and the charity needed to act decisively if the board wished "to avoid a morale crisis".
The letter finished by calling on the board to "consider the high level of staff turnover in the organisation".

Later in 2017, an independent report was commissioned by the charity in response to the grievances of two managers.

The BBC has seen a copy of the report, which states the grievances of the two previous managers and the complaints made by the chief executive about her staff, were partly upheld.

Acknowledging further issues at Gisda, the report made a number of recommendations.

These included to arrange mediation between Ms Tomos and the two former managers and the board should review its complaints procedures so complaints were acted upon and not ignored.

According to Eileen, who left months after the independent report was published, the recommendations were not acted upon.

Four other former members of staff who left after the report was published agreed.

To see positive change, Eileen said the charity should appoint a new board of directors and chief executive.

Ms Tomos and the chairman of the board of directors, Tudor Owen, were given the opportunity to respond separately to the claims.

More - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48044912