Hackney,
21
September
2016
|
09:31
Europe/London

Children's Services praised in Ofsted report

Hackney Town Hall

Hackney Council praised in report from Ofsted. Children’s Services has been rated ‘Good’ overall, with the experiences and progress of care leavers as ‘Outstanding’.

The City and Hackney Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB), which was included in the inspection, is the first in the country to be rated as Outstanding.

Following the four week inspection period in July 2016, Ofsted said that senior figures in Hackney ‘have high aspirations for Hackney’s children and this leads to good outcomes’ and highlighted that ‘Young people leaving care in Hackney have exceptionally positive outcomes, receiving outstanding services leading to sustained improvements in their lives’.

The report also notes that Children’s Services in Hackney:

  • has excellent in-house clinical services providing swift access to mental health support,

  • adoption services are dynamic and well managed,

  • fostering service is effective and supports its carers ensuring quality care for children,

  • and children at risk of child exploitation (CSE), including those who are looked after, receive good quality multi-agency support.

Hackney’s Children’s Services were last inspected in 2012 and were seen as a service that then also exceeded the minimum requirements with a ‘Good’ rating.

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People said:

“We are delighted with the overall outcome of the inspection. This result supports what we already know about how hard staff work to support children in the borough.

“That the work done with children leaving care has been rated ‘Outstanding’ is a well-deserved acknowledgement of the service, which gives children who may have faced challenges a real opportunity.

“We welcome the recommendations from the inspectors and look forward to the challenge to become an ‘Outstanding’ service in the future.”

Ofsted reported that the City and Hackney LSCB is an outstanding board with ‘strong and credible leadership’. Citing its ‘exemplary effectiveness’ in holding partners to account and its ‘ambitious resolve to be the best it can be’ which as a result is making a real difference to children’s lives.

Jim Gamble QPM, Independent Chair of the City and Hackney LSCB said:

“I am extremely proud of the team in the City and Hackney. Achieving the first outstanding judgement is the result of their hard work and relentless focus on what is best for our children and young people. We have built a system that works and it works because of leadership, commitment and a willingness to engage in constructive reflective practice.

“There is no burden of bureaucracy here; We collectively focus on what matters, the data that informs debate and the learning that drives improvement. Our structure, our approach, our staff and every partner on the Board make a real difference. Ultimately, the investment in a senior professional advisor, right at the heart of the safeguarding team has pushed us and made us smarter.”

To see the full report visit Ofsted.