Lancashire makes significant improvements and moves out of 'inadequate' rating
'Significant improvements' have been made at Lancashire children's services, Ofsted has said.
Inspectors highlighted that leaders can now demonstrate that they know their services well and this insight has led to some significant improvements and children's services are no longer inadequate.
"From a very slow start, the past six months in Lancashire have seen a much-needed injection [...]
Newcastle managers 'resolute' in improving practice
Senior managers at Newcastle children's services have embraced the learning from the last Ofsted inspection in May 2017, inspectors found in their latest focused visit.
The inspection, which looked at the local authority’s arrangements for the ‘front-door’, the Initial Response Service (IRS), which receives both single and multi-agency contacts and referrals, found managers to be 'resolute' [...]
Focused visit of Halton shows improvement since last visit
Children and families in Halton receive a timely and proportionate response to initial identified needs and concerns, Ofsted has concluded.
In a focused visit of the authority's arrangements for contacts and referrals in the integrated contact and referral team (iCART) and thresholds for children in need and child protection, with a focus on children and families [...]
Ofsted reveals 271 incidents of whistle-blowing in children’s services
There have been 271 incidents of whistle-blowing in the last year, Ofsted has reported.
Ofsted has revealed for the first time how many whistle-blowing reports it receives from those working in children's services and its annual report showed that the inspectorate received 271 reports where there was a serious concern from April 2017 to the end [...]
Special Report: Timescales for children’s mental health reforms lack urgency
As the government has published its response to the consultation on transforming children and young people’s mental health provision, Clare Jerrom looks at reaction from the sector.
The government will roll-out its new approach to tackling children and young people’s mental health problems to at least a fifth to a quarter of the country by the [...]
Young people design tool to support foster care placements
Young people in Sheffield have created a board game to enable social workers, residential staff and foster carers to think about what makes a good foster care placement.
Young people from Sheffield’s Children In Care Council have created the snakes and ladders style game to support social workers, foster carers and residential staff to think about [...]
