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Bury: Children’s services improve despite ‘inconsistencies’
Regulator Ofsted found the local authority had made improvements to its provision for children following a two-day monitoring visit conducted at the end of February and beginning of May this year.
The visit put particular focus on progress being made, long term plans for the upbringing of children, including frameworks to support children and families through social work.
The visit was the third the regulator has conducted since the department was handed a damning rating of “inadequate” in November 2021 after inspectors found “serious failures” which left children “at risk of harm”.
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In a letter addressed to the chief executive of Bury children’s services, Jeanette Richards, inspectors said “steady progress” had been made since its last inspection.
The report said: “Senior leaders have continued to develop the quality of social work practice and strengthen management oversight, to support timelier permanence for children.
“Here continues to be a strong focus on developing the workforce, by providing a range of appropriate training opportunities, including in motivational interviewing and permanence. Social workers have a clearer understanding of expectations and are embracing the new ways of working.
“The local authority is on track with its improvement plan, which focuses on getting the basics right and seeks to deliver sustainable and improved outcomes for children.”
However, the report noted that education, health and care plans, which outline special education needs vary in quality and lack detail regarding children’s long-term plans.
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It also noted that some children are experiencing care from numerous different caregivers, “which impacts of their ability to form trusting relationships adults”.
Inspectors said: “Despite these improvements, social work practice remains inconsistent, and some children still wait too long to achieve security through permanence. The local authority recognises that there is more to do to reduce drift and delay.”
In its last monitoring report published in November 2022, Ofsted inspectors noted high staff turnover continued lead to ‘inconsistency in practice for too many children.”
In its most recent report, inspectors noted the installation of a permanent senior leadership team and team leaders, which had increased stability to support more consistent management oversight.
A successful recruitment drive secured 23 new social workers from overseas, who began work last month.
Once a local authority has been given an “inadequate” rating, inspectors carry out between four and six monitoring visits followed-by a re-inspection.
