Issue - meetings

Background:

This report presented Cabinet with a summary of the Ofsted inspection of the local authority arrangements for the protection of children in Medway which took place between 7 and 16 January 2013 and was followed by publication of the Ofsted report on 15 February 2013. 

This inspection considered key aspects of a child’s journey through the child protection system, focusing on the experiences of the child or young person and the effectiveness of the help and protection that they were offered. The inspection focused on the effectiveness of the multi-agency arrangements for identifying children who were suffering, or likely to suffer harm, from abuse or neglect; and for the provision of early help where it was needed. It also considered the effectiveness of the local authority and its partners in protecting these children if the risk remained or intensified. The Inspector scrutinised case files, observed practice, spoke with children, their families, social workers, managers and other professionals. The Inspector analysed performance data, management information and business plans such as the one for the Medway Safeguarding Children’s Board.

The Ofsted report’s findings was summarised in the report.The Council would be formally issued an ‘Improvement Notice’ by the Secretary of State via the Department for Education in the next few weeks. The Council would be required to establish an Improvement Board, which would oversee the implementation of the actions in the Improvement Notice and the areas for improvement in the Ofsted report. The Inspector had already endorsed the focus and content of the Director of Children and Adults Services’ improvement plan and additional resources had been approved by Members.  It was noted that progress would be monitored very closely through the Improvement Board and would be subject to internal and external scrutiny and validation.

Reasons:

To report the findings of the recent Ofsted inspection and the arrangements

that are being implemented to secure urgent and sustainable service improvements.