Oxfordshire council’s children’s services rated good by Ofsted

Oxfordshire County Council’s children’s services has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted. The inspection covered services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers.

More than 3,100 children in the county receive a specialist children’s service and 512 are the subject of a child protection plan, and 467 are looked after by the county council.

The report said the Kingfisher Unit – which was set up  by the council, Thames Valley Police and the health service, in response to Operation Bullfinch in which seven men were jailed for sexual exploitation of vulnerable girls – is “high quality”.

Jim Leivers (pictured), Oxfordshire County Council’s director for children, education and families, said: “Ofsted set very high standards. Our services for children have been judged to be good under the tougher inspection regime that Ofsted has brought in to raise standards. The rating is the result of hard work by everyone who works with children and families.”

“We are pleased that Ofsted has found that children’s social services are strong and effective, and make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable children and young people in Oxfordshire.”