Leaders approve Ofsted improvement action plan

Leaders at Herefordshire Council have approved an action plan to remedy the ills identified in a recent inspection into the county’s children’s services.

Herefordshire Council’s cabinet agreed today to submit their improvement plan to Ofsted.

Earlier this year, inspectors highlighted that the overall standard of children’s social care in the county requires improvement.

The inspection, on June 11, showed the authority’s overall effectiveness still requires improvement and the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families is inadequate.

The report identified that the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families was inadequate and the experiences and progress of children in care and those who need help and protection required improvement.

Inspector Pauline Higham said in her report that the council needed to improve urgency among senior leaders in carrying out a robust and timely action plan to address deficits in social work practice.

She said: “Leaders and managers have not secured an environment in which good-quality social work practice can flourish, and the majority of core practice requires improvement.

“Senior leaders acknowledge that insufficient progress has been made in key aspects of their service, and many weaknesses found during this inspection mirror many of those identified in 2014.”

The council has since taken steps to address the issues raised by the inspection such as systematically reviewing all section 20 orders and recruited additional family support and social workers.

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, children and families cabinet member, said the action plan set out an ambitious programme that has already started.

“We are expected to submit an action plan by October 25,” she said.

“We have passionate and committed staff who know the children and this is working to their credit.

“We are committed to keeping children and young people safe and giving them a great start in life working with children and young people, their families, councillors and carers to improve, attain and consolidate meaningful improvement across children’s services.”