Agenda item

The Panel will consider a report on the Progress of the Ofsted Improvement Plan.

Contact:        Vicky Metheringham, Service Director

The Panel considered a report on the Progress of the Ofsted Improvement Plan, which was presented by Vicky Metheringham, Service Director for Family Help, Safeguarding and Permanence.

Vicky Metheringham provided an update on the progress made within Children’s Social Care since the Ofsted inspection in 2024. The inspection had identified significant improvement, judged Children’s Services in Kirklees as being ‘good’ and acknowledged that leaders had clear action plans in place to address challenges.

Areas of improvement identified by Ofsted during the inspection were -

1. The effectiveness of practice with every child who was experiencing harm from neglect and / or domestic abuse.
2. The quality of written plans, records and meeting minutes for the minority of children in care and care leavers where these documents were weak.
3. The availability and choice of homes for children in care and care leavers.

The Panel were informed that -

• A rigorous improvement plan, overseen by elected members and the Executive Leadership Team, was ensuring that services enhanced opportunities and experiences for families in Kirklees
• Improvement activities related to neglect and domestic abuse had been supported by the Kirklees Safeguarding Partnership.
• Self-evaluation was updated annually and incorporated feedback from practice audits, thematic focus deep dives, and practice learning days.
• Self-evaluation activity had highlighted progress made against a range of areas of practice and identified what further actions were needed.
• Positive progress had been made in all areas identified in the inspection.

Vicky Metheringham advised the Panel that the report provided an overview of the progress made in addressing the areas for improvement and identified where there was more to do.  Areas highlighted were -

·       Concern remained that domestic abuse continued to be a significant issue and was the primary reason for repeat child protection plans and repeat referrals. A Child Safeguarding Practice Review was supporting multi agency practice after the tragic murder of a parent.  A task and finish group had been established to determine how practice could be strengthened where domestic abuse was a driving factor, with the key priority being to address the identified gap in perpetrator focused work

·       The improvement of language use in children's records was a priority during 2025. External facilitators had worked alongside all practitioners and significant progress had been made.

·       A proactive, targeted approach had been taken to recruit more local foster carers and supported lodgings carers for specific cohorts of children

·       Challenges still existed in finding timely homes for a small minority of looked after children.

·       Since the Ofsted inspection in 2024, further improvements had been made and changes embedded for the provision of support for care leavers.

In conclusion, the Panel were informed that -

• The leadership team were clear about priorities and had well established plans to drive progress.
• The workforce was the most stable it had been for the last three years.
• The quality of supervision and consistent management oversight had significantly improved.
• Vacancies would be filled through apprenticeships and student social workers.
• Services and support to care leavers had been transformed and the Kirklees Parenting Board was well embedded. Corporate parenting duties had been enhanced and broadened as care experience had been recognised as a protected characteristic.
• Records which were sensitive and written to children had been a huge success.
• Plans for the Family Help Service had been successful, with a significant service redesign planned during 2026.
• Plans were in place to oversee areas for development in addressing the risks posed by neglect and domestic abuse.
• Sufficiency of homes for children in care remained a key challenge, and an investment in an Edge of Care Service would support this area of practice.

In response to questions the Panel were advised that -

• A range of different training was provided for practitioners around domestic abuse, as part of the domestic abuse action plan.
• Since the inspection, there had been a significant reduction in the number of care leavers accessing temporary accommodation. The length of time they stayed was needs led and there was confidence that the service knew the young people well.
• Social work apprentices from within the service were required to seek approval to attend training from their service manager to ensure that taking part in the course would not negatively impact on services.
• The Edge of Care service would be renamed, and was designed to support families at risk of breaking down, reducing the number of 11-15 year-olds in care.
• The quality of practice was assured through regular monitoring, via learning conversations, feedback from young people and families, practice learning days, weekly performance reports, and access to a Tableau dashboard. There was a gap in data identified around the 89, 21-25 year old care leavers who were supported by the service, and this was being worked on.

RESOLVED –

1)    That the report be noted and officers thanks for their contributions.

2)    That officers and staff be thanked for their efforts in improving the service, which the Panel had seen evidence of in their visits throughout the year, especially with regard to accommodation, education and employment.

3)    That congratulations be passed on to all staff involved in the Social Care Conference, and in the work undertaken to put children at the centre of their written records.