Inconsistent children's service requires improvement - chief pledges to do better
Ofsted inspectors have downgraded Staffordshire children’s services to a requiring improvement rating after finding inconsistent standards in the department.
Today, Staffordshire County Council said it was committed to making improvements a priority after criticism of services for vulnerable children, their families and for teenagers leaving care.
The report published on Friday said more work was required on quality and effectiveness of management oversight of contacts, referrals and assessments, the effectiveness and impact of performance data and quality assurance to drive practice improvement, the effectiveness and oversight of allegations against those in positions of trust, to improve children’s access to dentistry and for children in care with complex health needs to get timely assessments.
It also said that following an inspection in November it was found that the experiences and progress of the 1,345 children and young people in care was 'good', but that the service's overall effectiveness 'requires improvement to be good'. It previously attracted an overall 'good' rating.
In response the county’s children and young people chief Councillor Mark Sutton said: “Child protection services in Staffordshire have been rated ‘good’ for a decade so this result is very disappointing.
“We accept the findings and I can assure everyone who will be concerned by this news that protecting vulnerable young people is a priority and we are committed to putting this right as quickly as possible.
“What gives me encouragement for the task ahead is that we have front line staff that we can be proud of; hard-working professionals who make a positive difference on a daily basis and we have already begun making the necessary changes to better support them in their work.”
The council said it was now committing to a series of actions, including stronger performance targets with more structured monitoring, a clearer escalation process for children and young people, closer cooperation with health and housing providers, and better provision of broadband access for care leavers.
Councilllor Sutton said: “We had already allocated an additional £5 million for the coming year and we will be putting in place a series of practical measures to boost oversight, increase support and reduce workloads.
“We know that there are things we need to improve, but the report also recognises that there are many things that we are doing well to help some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Staffordshire.”
The report stated: "Some aspects of services to vulnerable children have been sustained or improved through improvement plans and significant investment as part of a broader transformation programme. This includes services for children in care, children who are unaccompanied asylum seekers, and opportunities to hear the voice of children.
"However, there are other parts of the service where the impact of practice has deteriorated."
Staffordshire County Council is currently supporting 5,042 children, of which 1,345 are in care, and has seen its budget rise by 152 per cent since 2009 to £146m for 2024/25.
