TAMESIDE Council’s much-troubled children’s services department is showing signs of improvement, according to inspectors.
After being rated as inadequate, Ofsted made a further monitoring visit in May so it could assess its reaction.
And it found a ‘steady pace of progress is helping to embed sustainable change,’ while also identifying areas where further development is required – including how data is ‘not sufficiently detailed to support robust critical challenge.’
Since January, Tameside Council’s children’s services leadership team has been fully permanent and is continuing to drive improvement.
Several service manager posts have now been filled creating ‘an additional layer of permanent leadership.’
Ofsted’s letter from inspector Lisa Summers highlights that ‘leaders continue to build the framework to support service improvements for children and young people,’ with a clear and ‘shared focus to improvement underpinned by well-targeted improvement planning.’
Inspectors noted that leaders have ‘a good understanding of quality and performance which is used to shape improvement planning’ and are taking a ‘methodical and steady approach’ to driving change.
The council’s ‘corporate parenting board continues to be strengthened’, which is ‘well attended by partners and attendees’ and where children and young people regularly have the opportunity to ‘set the agenda, to chair meetings and share presentations about issues that are important to them.’
A new corporate parenting strategy, produced with children and young people, has, according to Ofsted, ‘been developed to better support focus and on-going prioritisation.’
The report acknowledges ‘sustained progress in stabilising the workforce,’ with a reduced use of agency workers and a strong focus on recruitment and retention.
A number of agency workers have transitioned into permanent roles, reflecting the increasingly positive working environment within the service.
While the report notes that previous high staff turnover impacted consistency for some children and families, it also recognises leaders are aware of this and are taking action to improve stability further.
Inspectors highlighted positive feedback from staff about the culture within Children’s Services.
They added: “Social workers report that leaders are accessible and visible and they described a tangible difference in the workplace culture since the strategic director of children’s services took up post.”
Workers also told inspectors that ‘leaders know them, and their contribution is now valued.’
The monitoring letter acknowledged what Ofsted calls the ‘greater focus on the quality and impact of practice’ and how this is ‘leading to timelier assessments of children’s circumstances.’
Inspectors found: “Children’s individual needs and identities are better understood.
“Social workers take time to build relationships and to understand children’s lived experiences. Social workers speak with fondness and pride about their children, and most know them well.”
New of the progress has been welcomed by Tameside Council, which acknowledges the areas in which improvement is needed and says it is taking appropriate action to address them.
Its executive leader, Cllr Eleanor Wills said: “We have always been honest that turning our services around would be a journey that will take time.
“Our absolute priority in this path is protecting and supporting children and families through the hard work and commitment of our staff and partners.
“This is part of our wider commitment to improve every service across the council. We want every resident to feel a positive difference in their lives.
“This journey requires hard work and steady dedication, but we are fully committed to listening to our community and making lasting improvements.”
Tameside Council’s executive member for children and families, Cllr Teresa Smith, added: “I’m pleased to see that Ofsted has recognised the significant progress we have made as we continue to work hard to provide the service our children and families deserve.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see recognition of the pride and commitment our social workers have for the children they support, alongside the positive culture we are continuing to build across Team Tameside.
“I’m proud that colleagues feel valued for their contributions, and that some have chosen to join us from other local authorities or move from agency to permanent roles because of their positive experiences here.
“We are continuing to strengthen our workforce, improve the quality of practice and ensure that children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. Delivering consistent, high-quality services for our families remains our absolute priority.”
Director of Children’s Services, Jill Colbert OBE, commented: “I welcome the findings of this letter, which reassure us that we are continuing to move in the right direction on our improvement journey.
“By working together across the service, we are creating a positive and supportive environment, where colleagues feel valued, listened to and proud of the difference they make for children and young people.
“We are continuing to focus on securing permanence for our children, supported by a strong and increasingly stable workforce that can provide the consistency and quality of practice our children and families need.
“We recognise the areas identified for further improvement and are taking clear and focused action to address them. We remain committed to building on this progress and delivering lasting, meaningful improvements for children and families in Tameside.”