GOVERNMENT inspectors have backed the improvements to children’s social care services in Worcestershire as county chiefs prepare to hand over the running of the service to a separate company.
Ofsted inspectors acknowledged outcomes for many children and their families are now better and said there was evidence of a ‘sustained trajectory of improvement’.
Worcestershire Children’s Services were found to be inadequate in all areas of practice in 2016. When inspectors returned to Worcestershire last month, they reported the quality of the service has moved up a category and now requires improvement to be good.
Inspectors reported social workers know the children they work with well and that children’s views are now informing assessment outcomes and plans.
They found that effective work by senior management and staff, together with commitment and investment by political leaders, has led to improved responses to the needs of children and families.
Coun Andy Roberts, cabinet member for children and families, said: “I am pleased inspectors have seen the improvements which have been made. I would like to thank everyone involved for all the hard work which has been put in over the last two and a half years.
“Improving the lives of children and young people in Worcestershire is a priority for this council and since the last inspection we have invested an additional £19.8million into children’s social care services.
“There is more work still to do and we are determined that we will continue to improve our services for all children and young people in Worcestershire”.
The council’s director of children’s services, Dr Catherine Driscoll, said: “We accept what Ofsted says needs to improve and are confident that our new wholly owned council company, Worcestershire Children First, will provide a positive platform to sustain the improvement and further improve outcomes for all children and young people”.
The report states children in Worcestershire are now better protected than they were and the trajectory for further improvement is established.
A wholly-owned council company, Worcestershire Children First, is currently being developed to deliver Children’s Services.
The company is due to be launched in October.
