South Gloucestershire know their care leavers increasingly well
Senior leaders at South Gloucestershire know their care leavers’ service increasingly well, Ofsted has said.
In the fifth monitoring visit since the local authority was judged inadequate in February 2017, Ofsted said a clearer focus by senior leaders on raising practice standards through more rigorous quality assurance of casework and strategic planning is having a [...]
Salford rated 'good' across board by Ofsted
The quality and impact of social work practice with children have been maintained and, in some areas, improved in Salford, Ofsted has reported.
Since the last inspection, children have continued to receive focused, timely and proportionate support in response to their needs and level of risk. Multi-agency arrangements for children are effective and these lead [...]
Hounslow has improved children's services
Senior leaders at the London Borough of Hounslow have worked effectively to improve children's services since the last Ofsted inspection in 2014, the inspectorate has said.
Supported by strong corporate and cross-party political support, the London Borough has a thoughtful and caring approach to working with children and their families is threaded through services for children [...]
Services at Northamptonshire have deteriorated, says Ofsted
Arrangements for managing contacts and referrals in the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) and thresholds for children in need of help and protection in Northamptonshire have deteriorated, according to Ofsted.
Against a backdrop of recent significant financial uncertainty and changes in leadership at corporate and managerial levels, services considered during the focused visit have significantly declined in [...]
Inquiry launched into funding of childrens services
A cross-party group of MPs have launched a new inquiry into the funding and provision of local authorities’ childrens services.
The inquiry by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee will investigate what impact public spending has had on the provision of care services, and the approaches local authorities have taken in addressing funding constraints.
Housing, Communities [...]
Deterioration of services at Wokingham
There has been a "marked deterioration" in the quality, timeliness and delivery of services to children at Wokingham, Ofsted has said.
Since the last inspection in 2017, there has been increased caseloads in children’s social care and early help, linked to a rise in demand and instability across the workforce.
"The significant pressures within the MASH and [...]
