Children’s services in Enfield are ‘good’, says Ofsted

CHILDREN’S services in Enfield are “good”, according to a watchdog report. Enfield Council and its partners, including teachers, health professionals, police and voluntary workers, are exceeding minimum requirements, Ofsted inspectors have concluded.

The report, published on Monday, judged 29 of 31 key measures to be “good” and two to be “adequate”.

Councillor Ayfer Orhan, cabinet member for education and children’s services, said she was “delighted” with the findings.

She said: “This report gives us an insight into the huge range of services that we provide and the sheer quality of that work.

“It is an absolute priority that we maintain high standards across all the services and that the most vulnerable children are well protected.

“I am delighted the Ofsted inspectors observed such a wealth of good practice.”

The report states: “Safeguarding of children and young people is a high priority for the partnership and staff at all levels are determined and resolute about securing good outcomes.”

The report praises the borough’s Community Help Point Scheme, which provides a network of safe havens for youngsters, and the police’s Youth Engagement Panel, established in 2008 to offer advice to young people by young people.

Inspectors note that education workers are having “a positive impact” on improving school attendance, significantly reducing the number of persistent absentees and preventing exclusions in primary schools.

On leadership and management, the report states: “Ambition and prioritisation are good, with some outstanding features.

“Highly capable senior officers and managers, who are passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people, place high priority on having strong, effective and responsive services.”

Areas pinpointed for improvement in the report include ensuring children’s social care files contain detailed data on events and contacts, ensuring the social services electronic recording system allows contacts to be recorded to avoid the loss of important information, and ensuring young people are given the opportunity to voice their views on the quality of the services they receive.

Domestic violence cases must also be filed more efficiently, according to the inspectors, to ensure cases can be “effectively prioritised”.

The evaluation took place over a two-week period in May.

Inspectors spoke to 78 young people and children, 21 parents and carers, front line managers, senior officers, leading councillors, and chairs of the council’s Safeguarding Children Board.

They also analysed several reports and 70 case files for children and young people with a range of needs.

Andrew Fraser, co-director for education, children’s services and leisure, said: “It is a credit to our staff in these services and those of our partners that we are creating better and stronger support.

“I congratulate all those who have worked so hard to provide the quality services that our children need and deserve.”

Police commander Dave Tucker said: “Our partnership has created the foundations to help children feel safer and to open up the opportunities for them to learn.”

Dr Shahed Ahmad, joint director of public health, added: “While we have achieved a commendable ‘good’ in most aspects of our work, we are determined to develop and improve, and we have the will to do so.

“Our commitment is to support vulnerable children and their families with first class services.”

Enfield has around 76,000 children and young people under the age of 19, which comprises 26 per cent of the total population of the borough.

More than half (54.6 per cent) of young people and children are from minority ethnic groups, compared to 21.3 per cent in the country as a whole.

At the time of the inspection there were 290 children in care, 78 per cent of whom were in foster care.