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.

“A number of posters together with pamphlets and contact cards have been produced to raise staff awareness of issues and safeguarding arrangements. In addition, e-learning modules are available to employees who have access to a computer and self-service for field workers.

“An internal audit was undertaken recently to review how aware staff at some of the Council’s establishments were of these corporate arrangements.

“Every leisure centre and residential home in the audit sample was found to be following the Council’s corporate policy, but some improvement could be made.

“The main issue that arose was that more staff need to complete all of the e-learning modules, but this matter is now being addressed by managers.

“The relevant staff at all the establishments had a valid DBS check, except for the two members of staff who were in the process of renewing their checks.”