Children’s services focused visit - report findings
Our children's services have had a recent focused visit from Ofsted.
This follows its visit last October, when children’s services were subsequently rated good overall, with outstanding elements by Ofsted inspectors.
Ofsted inspectors visited on 24 and 25 October to focus on arrangements for children in need and children subject to a protection plan, provided by our children’s services.
The Ofsted inspectors looked at a range of evidence, including children’s case discussions with social workers, the service’s performance management, quality assurance information, and children’s case records.
The Ofsted report praises senior leaders who continue to ensure a relentless focus on improving the experiences of children who need help and protection and who foster a workforce culture that is helping to develop and sustain high-quality social work practice.
The inspectors were impressed with comprehensive performance information, and quality assurance activity, helping leaders to understand child experience and progress, and noted that this leads to robust child-centred responses to identified risk and need.
They evidenced that relationships with working partners and agencies are a particular strength, enabling professionals to engage in effective multi-agency information-sharing, that informs and leads to good decision-making and sound planning for children. They witnessed evidence of the principles of family group conferences, helping parents and their wider family network to safely take responsibility for decision-making where appropriate.
Nick Wallis. the council's cabinet member for children and young people said: "We are delighted children's services has been praised once again for their great work by the Ofsted inspection team and welcome their positive feedback.
"The report recognises the quality of the services we provide and concurs we ensure a relentless focus on continuing to improve the experiences of children who need help and protection in Darlington, ensuring the children and their families are at the heart of our work.
“We work extremely well with partners and agencies, sharing information to ensure we work safely and closely together and support families to take responsibility for decision-making, when appropriate.
"I meet regularly with staff and some of the young people who use our children’s services and am consistently impressed by the respect, trust, and great working relationships that are formed.
“This Ofsted inspection report reflects the hard work carried out by our diverse teams of children's services staff, and I would like to thank them all for their commitment, passion, and dedication. They really do make a difference to people’s lives.
“We recognise there is always room for improvement, this focused report witnesses our continued drive to improve where improvements can be made. We are committed to continuing to deliver the very best services possible for all our children and young people to ensure they have the best experiences possible growing up in the borough of Darlington.”
Shared vision, collaborative working, and planning ensure the right help is given at the right time
The report acknowledges that children in need and those subject to a child protection plan receive timely and effective interventions and support from committed social workers, who understand risk, need, and vulnerability factors for children. Detailed and focussed assessments of children’s and their wider family needs are taken to understand children’s lived experiences, resulting in effective, informative, multi-agency plans, detailing timescales for improvements clearly defined and support to reduce risk and need. Specialist assessments and discussions are quickly put into place to respond to risk when necessary.
Also noted was that collaborative information sharing informs decisions and effective planning for children, ensuring children receive the right level of help and protection at the right time.
Inspectors saw a strong emphasis on the inclusion of family members, support for children and families, and how family group conferences help families find sustainable solutions to secure positive outcomes for children, with the voice of children evident in most plans.
They reported that children’s plans are reviewed regularly and clearly record measures of progress, with input from families and multi-agency professionals.
They were impressed by social workers, who are tenacious in developing and sustaining trusting relationships with children and their families with purposeful visits to children, in line with the child’s needs.
It was highlighted management direction is clear, that supervision takes place regularly, and that social workers feel well supported by their managers.
They were impressed that leaders are committed to sustaining conditions that enable good social work to flourish, that social workers benefit from visible, approachable, and responsive leaders and managers, and that they feel valued and well-supported.
They were happy to conclude that stability in the workforce has been sustained since the last inspection, helping children form and sustain meaningful and consistent relationships with social workers.
Keep improving
The inspection team did advise that quality assurance processes need to be further strengthened.
They also noticed that, due to an increased demand for help and protection services, some social workers have high caseloads. They recognised there is no detriment to the quality of practice, due to the commitment of individual social workers, that senior leaders are aware of the challenges and demands across the social work team and have active recruitment campaigns and strong political support to further strengthen the workforce.