A new report delivered as part of the DiSC partnership, with Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) grant funding, working with the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) Cymru, is highlighting how local authorities across Wales are beginning to move from exploring AI to using Microsoft Copilot in practical ways across adult social care services.
Microsoft Copilot in Social Care: Learning and Progress shares findings from a national review into how AI tools are being adopted across adult social care in Wales, including early evidence of reduced administrative pressures, improved workforce wellbeing and increased time for direct engagement and support.
The work builds on an earlier national readiness project, which explored how prepared Wales’s 22 local authorities were to implement Microsoft Copilot within adult social care teams. That earlier programme, delivered by ADSS Cymru with support from STABLE and us at Practice Solutions, focused not only on digital infrastructure, but also workforce confidence, governance, organisational culture and ethical implementation. All 22 Welsh local authorities participated in elements of the assessment work.
Alongside the national assessment, the project also developed a substantial suite of practical implementation resources for the sector, including a Copilot prompts toolkit for social care professionals, bitesize training videos, guidance around governance and good practice, and demonstrations of how Copilot could support assessments, meeting preparation, transcript summaries, email communications and safeguarding-related processes.
Copilot bitesize training videos:
Copilot prompts toolkit:
The work reflects ADSS Cymru’s broader commitment through the DiSC Partnership to support safe, ethical and person-centred approaches to digital transformation across Wales. Importantly, both the original readiness assessment and the latest learning report reinforce that AI should support, not replace, professional judgement and relationship-based practice. The reports highlight the importance of strong leadership, workforce engagement, governance and ongoing quality assurance as adoption develops further.
Practice Solutions has been proud to support elements of this wider work alongside ADSS Cymru and partners, contributing to engagement, communications and programme support activity connected to the implementation and exploration of AI within Welsh social care services.
The latest findings suggest the sector is continuing to build confidence and capability around AI adoption, while remaining focused on the core values of social care: supporting people, strengthening relationships and improving outcomes for communities across Wales.
For Practice Solutions, this work also reflects a long-standing belief that digital and technological innovation should ultimately serve people and communities, not the other way around. Under the leadership of our CEO, Sarah Day, we have consistently championed thoughtful, sustainable and values-led approaches to digital transformation, particularly within health and social care. As AI and digital tools continue to evolve, we believe the focus must remain on how technology can enhance quality of life, strengthen relationships, reduce unnecessary pressures on staff and create more human-centred services and systems. That commitment continues to underpin our work alongside ADSS Cymru, local authorities and partners across Wales.
Read the review of learning and progress of Copilot in social care in Welsh LAs:
