Warwickshire’s Children’s Services have made great improvements according to Ofsted inspection

The latest inspection, published in a report on 1 February 2022, by Ofsted found that children and families in Warwickshire benefit from consistently good quality services at an early stage, making a real difference to their lives. Ofsted found that WCC social workers listen carefully to children and make sure that children’s views inform decision-making. Social workers were found to be building stronger, more trusting relationships with families, giving parents confidence to develop their parenting skills.

The overall rating for Warwickshire has improved since the last inspection in May 2017, when Children’s Services were rated as requires improvement. Following the last inspection, WCC and partners have implemented a wide range of measures to ensure that children’s needs are met well.

Ofsted also found when children come into care, they are placed within their wider family if this is possible and in their best interests. Most children in care live in long-term homes and make good progress. When they’re ready to leave care, they receive ‘committed, consistent and purposeful support’ and are supported well to live independently, developing confidence and skills to assist them into adulthood.

The investment into the development of early help services means better support is now available for families and parents are more confident to seek their own solutions before a problem escalates. Over the last five years, the council has also invested in its workforce, introducing the Warwickshire Family Safeguarding programme, which has seen the recruitment of specialist mental health, domestic abuse and substance misuse practitioners to better support families. The county council and partner agencies have also introduced a whole family approach and established Warwickshire Family Values, which ensures children are supported to remain within their families where it is safe for them to do so, by providing parents with the right support at the right time.

Ofsted inspectors found leadership was good and children’s needs were met. Since the last full inspection of services for children in need of safeguarding and those in the care of Warwickshire, inspectors noted that council leaders are determined to continue the trajectory of improvement.

The report stated that: “Senior leaders have developed a culture and an organisational ethos that value children and families and they aspire to do the very best for them. The strengths and relationship-based social work model is embedded, with actions taken to improve services and practice having a tangible impact for many vulnerable children in Warwickshire.

The report also referenced that: “Leaders have implemented a wide range of measures to ensure that children’s needs are met well. They have a sound understanding of the quality of frontline practice and, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have been tenacious in securing resources and ensuring that services continue to improve. As a result, social workers have continued to support vulnerable children well.”

Warwickshire places children’s needs at the heart of all it does and works hard to ensure their voices are heard. Inspectors recognised this and said: “Senior leaders, including the director of children’s services, the chief executive, leader and lead member, listen and learn from children, staff and carers when planning service development. The corporate parenting panel challenges senior managers and partners, and enables the voices of children to be heard. The children in care council and care leaver forum are influential groups that have contributed to the development of many services and policies, including the service structure.”

Cllr Jeff Morgan, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services said: “I am so proud of the rating we have received from Ofsted today; our workforce and partner agencies have worked tirelessly to transform children’s services. Since the last inspection in 2017 and throughout the global pandemic, we have continued to focus on long-term improvements to better support some of our most vulnerable children and families, and I’m so pleased that Ofsted has recognised this.

“I’d like to pay tribute to our partners and everyone in our children’s services, who all work with passion and purpose every day to improve the lives of children in Warwickshire. I would also like to thank the children and young people who engaged with us throughout our journey to improve services, we remain committed to making Warwickshire the best place it can be for them to live, learn and grow.

“We know the work doesn’t stop here though. We are continuing to improve our children’s services to achieve excellence and we welcome the recommendations Ofsted have made to further strengthen our ambition of making Warwickshire a child friendly county.”

Inspectors visited Warwickshire between the 22 November and 6 December 2021. As part of the inspection, they spoke with children, young people and families to hear their views, as well as partner agencies and social workers. They also visited a wide range of the council’s services for families. The continuous improvement of Warwickshire’s Children’s Services is all part of the Child Friendly Warwickshire programme, which is designed to help make Warwickshire as safe, stable and full of opportunity for young people as possible with access to good health, education and other services.