THE GOVERNMENT has commissioned a review into the safety and welfare of young people in care in Worcestershire following
THE GOVERNMENT has commissioned a review into the safety and welfare of young people in care in Worcestershire following Ofsted’s damning report in January which branded the County Council’s children’s services as inadequate.
Trevor Doughty, the Director of Children, Families and Adults at Cornwall Council, has been appointed by the Department of Education to carry out an independent review and will present his findings to ministers by June 8.
It follows the publication of Ofsted’s inspection of Worcestershire County Council’s children’s services in January which highlighted ‘widespread and serious failures’ in the service.
The review could mean the County Council is stripped of control of children’s services; however the Conservative leadership at County Hall said they have the ‘strength’ to deliver ‘good and safe services.’
Last Thursday (April 7) Coun Marc Bayliss, the cabinet member for children and families, updated the Cabinet on progress made since Ofsted’s damning report and confirmed the authority will be ready to submit its improvement plan ‘very shortly.’
“Cabinet will of course recall Ofsted’s judgment in January was that children’s social care was inadequate – a judgment which was obviously hard-hitting and one which we have taken at Ofsted’s word and have been working very hard in order to put in place necessary activities to rectify that situation as quickly as possible,” Coun Bayliss said.
“We are at the point of being able to submit our service improvement plan in response to Ofsted very shortly and a summary of the eight objectives and outcomes are included as appendixes eight in the report.
During Mr Doughty’s review, the County Council will have to prove it has made progress in addressing the failures detailed in Ofsted’s inspection report.
Coun Marc Bayliss added he is ‘absolutely confident’ the County Council can prove the ‘best way forward’ is the authority continuing to deliver children’s services.
“We’re working really hard with Trevor and his team, which he is bringing from Cornwall, to provide him with the evidence that I am absolutely confident, will show that Worcestershire County Council continuing to deliver this service is the best way forward,” he added.
“If there was an alternative, a children’s trust, if there’s any evidence that a children’s trust would provide a better outcome for our young people in our care then we would be open to that. But, there is no evidence of that, no objective evidence that proves that is the case and I strongly believe, under the leadership of Catherine Driscoll and Tina Russell; we have the strength to actually show that under Worcestershire County Council’s leadership, we can deliver good services and safe services.”
In response, Coun Liz Tucker, Liberal Democrat group leader and candidate for Pershore, said: “The whole thing has been a shock to us all.
“But it’s very clear to everyone that the whole kitchen sink is going into this one.”
