Council too slow on children’s services improvement, says Ofsted report

An Ofsted report has revealed that Sefton Council’s children’s services are continuing to fail some minors who “continue to experience ongoing harm”.

The Council has faced significant criticism over the state of Children’s Services, with matters culminating in an “inadequate” Ofsted rating last year.

Southport Conservative leader Cllr Mike Prendergast said the report was “disappointing” and that “lack of accountability is astonishing.”

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Cllr John Pugh told OTS News that “given this background, one would expect resignations.”

Senior management has acknowledged failings, and improvements have been promised, but opposition critics claim that progress is not being made quickly enough.

Interim Director of Education and Children’s Services, Dr Risthardh Hare, said he was “disappointed” by the findings, that recruitment still posed a major challenge to the service.

Inspector Lisa Summers detailed in the report:

• Sefton children’s services have made insufficient progress in improving the response to children in need of help and protection since the last inspection.
• Recruitment and retention of social workers continue to be a significant challenge, with a high dependence on agency social workers making the service fragile.
• Many children experience drift and delay in having their needs met, and some continue to experience ongoing harm due to weaknesses in assessments and plans.
• Social work capacity issues are impacting on the quality and timeliness of services for disabled children.

Responding to the letter from Ofsted, Dr Risthardh Hare, Interim Director of Education and Children’s Services, said: “Whilst I acknowledge that Sefton Council Children’s Services and partners still have work to do on our improvement journey, I was pleased that Ofsted have recognised how changes over the last year are starting to make a positive difference in areas such as services for disabled children and children with complex needs, senior management oversight and stability in the workforce, which were all key elements of our initial phase of our Improvement Plan.

“There is still work to do, but we are confident that with our committed workforce and partners, the significant financial investment into Children’s Services, our ambitious plans can be delivered, and improvements made at pace.

“Improving our service is not just about improving the Ofsted rating, it’s about making sure children benefit from the best services, care and support possible, making sure they are safe, protected and inspired to reach their full potential.”