Written question WQ82748

The closure of some day centres during the pandemic was for good reasons in extraordinary and unprecedented times. However, it has placed a huge toll on unpaid carers who have continued to care for loved ones without the respite services that are undoubtedly needed.

I am pleased that many local authorities across Wales have taken alternative approaches to delivering services in the community and via telephone and digital means. Most authorities have now re-opened or are reopening venue-based day centres and other respite services. Where people need these services, we have encouraged local authorities to re-open them safely or set out plans for re-opening as soon as possible.

The Welsh Government has recently relaxed restrictions for community centres which also help with the operation of day centres and we have made twice weekly lateral flow testing available for all staff working in adult day care services, and for all children’s services staff in order to provide additional safeguards. My officials are also currently developing action cards to support the covid-safe operation of day centres which will be available soon.

We have tasked the Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru (ADSSC) with an exercise to look at the impacts of covid-19 on day centres and respite services and to identify positive practice that can be shared and I look forward to seeing the full report from that work soon. Initial findings for Cardiff show that while complex needs day services have continued, it has been more difficult to re-open day centres for older people. This is due to a variety of reasons, including the ability to ensure physical distancing in some venues and safe modes of travel during the pandemic.

Cardiff Council colleagues have advised that they are in the process of re-opening the Minehead Road day centre in Llanrumney. They are working with Health and Safety colleagues and undertaking risk assessments to ensure this is covid-safe. They plan to use learning from this process to safely re-open two further day centres for older people. They are liaising with social workers to ensure they offer support to those individuals where emotional and physical wellbeing is of concern.

In terms of respite services more generally, we are also investing £3m in 2021 to extend and diversify these services for unpaid carers across Wales and we have already allocated £1.75m of this sum to local authorities to meet immediate demands. The remaining £1.25million will be allocated to a third sector organisation in September 2021, to set up a national ‘short breaks’ service for unpaid carers. We have commissioned Carers Trust Wales to work with Swansea and Bangor Universities to draft a ‘Roadmap to respite’ which will inform how this money is spent.