Two years to improve children's services at Sandwell Council

Bosses have laid out a plan of action in the hope of improving standards following two damning reports in the last three years. The inspectorate has said 'widespread and serious failures' within the department were putting children in the borough at risk of harm.

The latest of those reports came in June when the authority was rocked by Ofsted's insistence that major improvements were still needed.

Council chiefs contested the findings of the report and insisted its children's services had improved since the first scathing report in 2013 - but have acknowledged there is still work to be done.

Among the major objectives of the improvement plan is ensuring staff are able to recognise children who are at risk, and having a 'stable, strong and confident workforce'. There will also be stronger scrutiny of staff and more rigorous assessment of their performance.

Leaders will also aim to put children and families 'at the centre of decisions about their lives'.

Children and young people will also be helped to live in permanent homes or families 'without unnecessary delay', and young people leaving care will be provided with adequate support so they are provided with opportunities, support and help to 'enable them to move successfully to adulthood'.

Services for young people in the council's care must also be suitable for their needs. The council must also 'respond effectively' to missing children.

A council report said: "Significant progress has been made over the past two years. However, the council is open to challenge and learning and recognises that there is still some way to go."

Council leader Darren Cooper said: "We have looked at the issues raised within the Ofsted report and revised our plan with a view to bringing in changes that we suggested.

"It is a revamp of our previous plan and from time to time we do that anyway."

Sandwell Council came under pressure to make changes at the top following the Ofsted report but Councillor Cooper said he was confident improvements could be delivered with the current set up.

"There is no point having a plan if you can't make the changes that are necessary," he said.

It added that the improvement plan for the next two years is a 'continuation of the journey'.

To add to the council's challenges, it is having to make rapid improvements with a shrinking budget after it was announced last week that £7 million had been slashed from the children's services budget.