Decision details

Non-Key Decision

Councillor S A W Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services presented the report of the Executive Director: Children’s & Family Services. The report presented the findings of the recent Ofsted Inspection of the Local Authority Children’s Services.

The inspection assessed the Council’s Children’s Services to be ‘outstanding’. Two of the three main inspection areas (the experiences and progress of children in care and the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families) were judged ‘outstanding’ and the remaining area (experiences and progress of children who need help and protection) was ‘good’. It was noted that only 18 local authorities had been judged to be outstanding and Telford & Wrekin was the only authority in the West Midlands and North West of England to achieve this.

One area was noted to need improvement, ‘the quality of recording in children’s plans and at key management decision points’. The Local Authority was required to submit an action plan responding to the report within 70 working days of receiving it.

Cabinet Members welcomed the report and praised the officers for their hard work to achieve the judgment. Cabinet Members acknowledged that this report had been ten years in the making and raised the significant investment that had occurred in children’s services over this time.

RESOLVED that:

(a)  The content of the report be noted;

(b)  The request by Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee to monitor the implementation of the action plan be noted and supported;

(c)  The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee be asked to provide a report to Cabinet setting out progress being made against the Action Plan.