Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided Cabinet with an overview of the main findings of the recent Ofsted ‘Children’s Services Assessment’ and the outcomes of the 2011 joint ‘Announced Inspection of Safeguarding and Looked After Children’ reported by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission.

The annual Children’s Services Assessment had rated Medway Council’s Children’s Services as ‘performing well’, which represented sustained performance over the previous year. The report set out the strengths of the service and areas for improvement.

It was noted that the announced inspection of Safeguarding and Looked After Children had involved a thorough inspection of children’s social care, health and education support for vulnerable children. The overall outcome of this inspection was that Medway performed ‘adequately’ on Safeguarding and Looked After Children. The report summarised areas where the partnership was performing well and specific recommendations for improvement.

An action plan addressing the recommendations from both reports had been developed and was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

It was noted that this report would be submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 19 January 2012.

Reasons:

To provide Cabinet with the results of the two inspections of children’s services and to highlight action being undertaken to address the recommendations made.