Slough safeguarding board to challenge ofsted ‘inadequate’ rating

Slough Borough Safeguarding Children Board are to challenge the ‘inadequate’ ofsted rating given to the local council’s children’s services.

In the report published this week, Slough Borough Council’s children’s service recieved lowest rating of ‘inadequate’ for it’s service provision.

Problems flagged included sub-standard working practices, a shortage of experienced staff and under-pressure social workers being saddled with huge workloads.

Members of the Slough Local Safeguarding Children Board have challenged the rating as they believe inspectors have disregarded progress made since the last inspection and the potential for further improvement through the continued implementation of the improvement plan.

Paul Burnett, the independent chairman of Slough LSCB, said: “We have brought about real change to the way the Board operates and we are confident that these changes are making a real difference.

“It is disappointing the review has not communicated in full the distance we have travelled in the last 18 months but we remain committed to our journey of improvement, to securing an impact on service quality and improving safeguarding outcomes for the children and young people of Slough.”