Dudley Council makes an important promise about its children’s services - full details here
An important promise about children's services has been made in Dudley
Dudley Council has pledged to improve management accountability and keep social worker’s caseloads manageable in children’s services.
The promises are made in a new report set to be debated by councillors at a meeting of the authority’s Social Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on February 4.
The report outlines the council’s response to an Ofsted inspection, called a focused visit, of children’s services in October 2025.
The council’s report, signed by John Macilwraith, Dudley director of children and young people, said: “The Ofsted focused visit confirms that practice in Dudley continues to improve, children are increasingly receiving better-quality support and leadership oversight has strengthened.
“However, key areas, notably planning, timeliness, partner engagement, and management grip, require sustained focus and accelerated improvement.
“The service has a clear set of priorities for the next year and continues to build a stable workforce, strengthen multi-agency partnership practice, and ensure that the experience and outcomes for children in Dudley continue to improve at pace.”
The report identifies six priorities for the coming year which include: ‘Ensure all managers provide decisive, directive oversight that progresses children’s plans without drift’ and ‘maintain caseloads at manageable levels’.
The Ofsted report found leaders in Dudley’s children’s services have a strong understanding of areas of strength and fragility in their department and are progressing towards strengthening the quality of social work and safeguarding.
Inspector Nick Bennison said: “Children aged 16 and 17 who are homeless receive responsive and effective support.
“Most children who need help, support and protection receive a timely service commensurate with their level of need.
“Children who need help and support, however, experience assessment work that does not fully identify their needs and areas for support.
“This can lead to drift and delay for these children having their needs met. The supervision of social workers is too irregular and lacks reflection.
“This, alongside high caseloads for some social workers, impacts on the ability of the local authority to deliver consistently effective services to vulnerable children in this area.”
