Twelve councils ‘performing poorly’ in children’s services, says Ofsted

Government inspector Ofsted says 12 councils given ‘performing poorly’ rating are not doing enough to keep children safe

Twelve councils across England are performing poorly overall in providing children’s services, figures from the government inspector Ofsted revealed today.

A dozen local authorities are not meeting minimum requirements, according to the latest annual assessments undertaken by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills.

The local authorities judged to be performing poorly include Birmingham, Calderdale, Doncaster, Essex, Kent, Leeds, Nottinghamshire, Peterborough, Salford, Sandwell, Torbay and Worcestershire.

According to the data, 20 councils are providing excellent services, double the number for the previous year. In addition, 77 councils are performing well, with 37 councils rated as providing adequate services.

The outcomes for six authorities are not yet being published as further inspections are due to be held, the regulator added.

They are Suffolk, West Sussex, Cheshire West, Haringey, Warrington and Cornwall.

The new assessment approach introduced last year incorporates direct observation of professional practice across childcare, schools, child protection services and safeguarding, children’s social care and provision in the learning and skills sector.

The chief inspector of schools, Christine Gilbert, said it was “very pleasing” to see an increase in the number of local authorities, both rural and metropolitan providing excellent services overall.

She added: “The minority of councils that are performing poorly were put in this category primarily because they are not doing enough to keep children safe.

“Inadequacies have been identified in their approach to safeguarding children. These authorities know where improvements are needed and have plans in place to improve.

“There is much they can learn from the examples of those authorities who are performing well and excellently.”

Ofsted said within each designated level there were differing standards, so a “performs poorly” did not mean a council had no adequate or good aspects.

The local authorities judged to be performing excellently are: Barnet, Bath and North East Somerset, Buckinghamshire, City of London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hampshire, Havering, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston Upon Thames, Lewisham, Lincolnshire, North Somerset, North Tyneside, Oldham, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Trafford, Wandsworth and York.