– BRIFF 7 MUNUD Papur ymchwil Diwygio Achosion Gofal Reforming Care Proceedings Research paper 7 MINUTE BRIEFING

1. BETH YDYW? 1. WHAT IS IT? Ymchwil a wnaed gan Brifysgol Bryste ac East Anglia am effaith yr Amlinelliad Cyfraith Gyhoeddus Roedd yr astudiaeth a gynhaliwyd mewn chwe awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru a Lloegr, 2 yn Llundain, 3 yn Ne Lloegr ac 1 yng Nghymru, yn archwilio gweithrediad ac effaith y diwygiadau hyn drwy gymharu dau sampl ar hap o achosion gofal: Cyn diwygio: S1, cafodd 170 o achosion yn ymwneud â 290 o blant eu dwyn yn 2009-10; Ar ôl diwygio: S2, cafodd 203 o achosion yn ymwneud â 326 o blant eu dwyn yn 2014-15. Research undertaken by Bristol and East Anglia University about the impact of the Public Law Outline The study, conducted in six local authorities in England and Wales, 2 in London; 3 in Southern England and 1 in Wales, examined the operation and impact of these reforms by comparing two random samples of care proceedings: Before reform: S1, 170 cases relating to 290 children brought in 2009-10; After reform: S2, 203 cases relating to 326 children brought in 2014-15.

2. Beth ydyw 2. What it is Roedd yr Adolygiad Cyfiawnder Teuluol (2011) yn cydnabod fod ‘Oedi wir yn fater o bwys ac yn niweidiol i blant’ (tud 13). Mae’n cynnig diwygiadau i achosion gofal i: 1) gyflwyno cyfyngiad amser o 26 wythnos; 2) cyfyngu penodi arbenigwyr allanol, gan ddibynnu yn hytrach ar dystiolaeth gwaith cymdeithasol gan yr awdurdod lleol a gwarcheidwad plant; a 3) lleihau'r craffu ar y cynllun gofal gan y llys, gan ganolbwyntio ar y trefniadau ar gyfer lleoliad parhaol, ail uno, gofal gan berthynas, maethu hir dymor neu fabwysiadu. Cafodd y diwygiadau hyn eu gweithredu gan yr Amlinelliad Cyfraith Gyhoeddus (PLO) o Ebrill 22, 2014 The Family Justice Review (2011) recognised that ‘Delay really matters and damages children’ (p.13). It proposed reforms to care proceedings to: 1) enact a time limit of 26 weeks; 2) restrict the appointment of external experts, relying instead on social work evidence from the local authority and children’s guardian; and 3) narrow court scrutiny of the care plan, focusing on the arrangements for permanency – re- unification, kinship care, long-term fostering or adoption. The Public Law Outline (PLO) implemented these reforms from April 22, 2014

3. Prif Ganfyddiadau 3. Key Findings Wedi’r diwygiadau hyn roedd achosion gofal yn cael eu cwblhau’n gyflymach: tua hanner yr amser a gymerwyd ar gyfer achosion S1. Roedd gwahaniaethau mawr yn y gorchmynion a roddwyd gan y llysoedd yn S2 o’i gymharu â’r sampl cynharach, gyda mwy o Orchmynion Goruchwylio a Gwarchodaeth Arbennig ond llai o Orchmynion Lleoli, sy’n caniatáu lleoli ar gyfer mabwysiadu. Care proceedings were completed more quickly after the reforms: about half the time taken for S1 cases. There were major differences in the orders granted by the courts in S2 compared with the earlier sample, with more Special Guardianship and Supervision Orders but half as many Placement Orders, which allow placement for adoption.

4. Prif Ganfyddiadau 4. Key Findings Nid oedd y newid mewn gorchmynion wedi'u cynllunio fel rhan o'r diwygiadau, nid oeddent wedi’u rhagweld ac nid oeddent wedi’u seilio ar dystiolaeth ynglŷn â ‘beth sy’n gweithio’ i blant. Roedd yn ymwneud â phenderfyniadau cyfraith achosion a’r ansicrwydd yr oeddent yn ei achosi i awdurdodau lleol a'r llysoedd. Fe fu ymdrechion dyfal gan yr awdurdodau lleol a’r llysoedd i sicrhau fod plant yn parhau gyda’u teuluoedd ehangach. Weithiau gofynnid i awdurdodau lleol i asesu tri neu fwy o ofalwyr posib sy’n berthnasau a rhoddwyd terfynau amser byr ar gyfer hyn. The change in orders was not planned as part of the reforms, not predicted, nor was it based on evidence about ‘what works’ for children. It related to case law decisions and the uncertainty they caused for local authorities and courts. There were strenuous attempts by both local authorities and courts to ensure children remained within their wider families. Local authorities were sometimes required to assess three or more potential relative carers and given short deadlines for this.

5. Prif Ganfyddiadau 5. Key Findings Fe wnaed llai o Orchmynion Gofal Interim ar gyfer S2, arhosodd mwy o blant mewn gofal s.20 neu gyda’u teuluoedd drwy gydol y trafodion. Nid oedd bron i chwarter y plant yn y system ofal cyn, yn ystod nac ar ôl y trafodion. Roedd Gorchmynion Goruchwylio yn aml yn aflwyddiannus o ran sicrhau amddiffyniad hir dymor i blant; roedd 25% o'r achosion gyda’r gorchmynion hyn wedi dychwelyd i'r llys. Fewer Interim Care Orders were made for S2; more children remained in s.20 care or with their families throughout the proceedings. Almost a quarter of children were not in the care system before, during or after the proceedings. Supervision Orders were often unsuccessful in securing long term protection for children; 25% of cases with these orders returned to the court

6. Effaith ar Arfer 6. Impact on Practice Roedd pwysau gan y llysoedd i gadw at yr amserlen 26 wythnos a chyflwyno’r berthynas agosaf yn hwyr wedi arwain at rai amserlenni byr iawn ar gyfer asesiadau. Yr amser a gâi ei ganiatáu ar gyfartaledd oedd 12 wythnos ond mewn traean o achosion roedd hyn yn 8 wythnos neu lai. Roedd rheolwyr gwaith cymdeithasol yn ystyried 12 wythnos fel yr isafswm o ran amser ar gyfer asesiad trylwyr a digonol ac i alluogi’r gofalwr posib i ystyried yr oblygiadau’n llwyr. Plant oedd yn destun Gorchmynion Goruchwylio yn unig oedd fwyaf tebygol o brofi achosion gofal pellach. Pressure from the courts to keep to the 26-week timetable and late presentation by kin resulted in some very short timescales for assessments. The average time allowed was 12 weeks but in a third of cases this was 8 weeks or less. Social work managers viewed 12 weeks as the minimum time for a sufficiently thorough assessment and to allow the potential carer to consider fully the implications. Children subject to only Supervision Orders were most likely to have further care proceedings

7. Gwybodaeth Bellach 7.Further Information Mae 2 grynodeb arall ar gyfer yr astudiaeth hon: Diwygio achosion gofal 2: Y Canlyniadau i Blant Diwygio achosion gofal 3: Cipolwg yn sgil cysylltedd data Gellir lawrlwytho rhain o: www.uea.ac.uk/socialwork/resea rch There are 2 other summaries for this study: Reforming care proceedings 2: Children’s Outcomes Reforming care proceedings 3: Insights from data linkage These can be downloaded from: www.uea.ac.uk/socialwork/research