Sex offender case prompts Vale of Glamorgan restructure

Vale of Glamorgan Council has promised to change the structure of its children’s and adult services departments after it published the findings of an inquiry into how a teenage sex offender was placed with a family with young children whom he went on to abuse.

The council said that a review had started to change frontline services to ensure better co-ordination and transfer of information.

All management arrangements for the council’s Leaving Care Team have also been changed in order to tackle identified shortfalls in the service.

The council “apologised unreservedly” over the incident in which an 18-year-old was placed with a family after he left care, despite a history of sexual behaviour involving children. His full history was not transferred and decisions were made without crucial details, the council admitted.

Director of social services, Phillip Evans, said: “There are no excuses: this should not have happened. The criticisms in the report are fully justified …. Some of our staff did not meet their individual and collective responsibilities for taking action to protect children.”

Three members of staff – including social workers and managers – have been suspended. They will face dismissal if found to have committed gross misconduct, the council said.