‘Substantial and rapid improvements’ in our safeguarding services have been praised by Ofsted, following a two-week inspection in July.

After an unannounced inspection by Ofsted, inspectors noted that ‘substantial and effective improvements have taken place in referral and assessment services’.

Our strengths

The latest Ofsted inspection report highlighted the following key strengths:

Safeguarding:

• The council provides strengthened and visible leadership to protect children
• The pace and quality of improvement in this area of children’s services responsibilities has been as impressive as it has been essential
• Senior managers have been active in driving essential improvements and are aware that further improvements remain necessary
• Operational performance and quality assurance arrangements have improved markedly
• Increasingly robust lines of accountability have been improved in all parts of children’s social care
• Strategic and operational managers have been highly successful to date in tackling previously serious workforce difficulties within social care, with a broadly based workforce strategy
  
  

Looked-after children:

• Some significant changes have been implemented over a relatively short time
• The current children’s services management team has made improvements in service provision, providing stronger, more visible leadership to safeguard looked-after children and care leavers
• Performance targets are met and achievement is in line and in some cases better than similar areas and / or with national figures
• Good quality placements for looked-after children are secured, meeting their needs
• As with safeguarding, within recent months more effective leadership and management have begun to secure improved outcomes for increasing numbers of looked after children.