Guildford MP praises ‘passion and energy’ on visit with of Surrey social workers

Guildford MP, Anne Milton, has praised Surrey County Council social workers for their ‘passion and energy’ on a visit this week.

The MP met staff working in the new Children’s Single Point of Access (C-SPA), which is the gateway to all support, information and advice for families and those who work with children in the county.

During the visit the MP (pictured, left) and Cllr Mary Lewis, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families, were given a tour of the C-SPA and spoke with staff dedicated to improving the lives of children in Surrey.

The C-SPA brings together professionals from across Children’s Services, and from different agencies, to provide direct information, advice and guidance about where and how to find the appropriate support for families.

Following a recent inspection, Ofsted described the service as having ‘made substantial progress’ for children and families by ensuring access to preventative and early help services at the earliest possible moment in a child’s life.

Following her visit, Anne Milton MP said: “It was great to meet the dedicated social workers who serve Surrey’s children and families and see first-hand the passion and energy they are putting in to improving services for some of the most vulnerable people in our county. Surrey County Council had significant challenges and I am very pleased to see a large step change in their approach.

“The reaction from the police and NHS staff who the council works with also shows just how hard the county council has worked to build true partnerships across the services that children rely on.”

Cllr Mary Lewis, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Children, said: “I am very proud of the way staff here have devoted themselves to making children’s experience of our services better. In a very short space of time I have witnessed significant change, and this is a testament to the dedication of our social workers. I have the full support of the Leader and the whole Cabinet, and we are all committed to making this an outstanding service for residents.”

Dave Hill, Executive Director for Children’s Services said: “I’d like to thank Anne for visiting us now and marking this important milestone in our journey toward offering outstanding services to children and families. We have made significant progress and I am confident that we will continue down this path of improvement. Staff in the directorate have shown remarkable dedication in bringing this about. I’m proud of the work they’ve done so far.

Picture (c) Chris Law.