To update Cabinet on the outcome of the Ofsted focus visit on 7 - 8 July 2021 and progress to date of the improvement programme.

The cabinet member children and families introduced the report and highlighted the key points. She noted that all of Ofsted’s findings were things the council had already identified itself. An action plan was being put together and reports would be made regularly to the improvement board.

The interim assistant director MASH, Assessment, CP Court & CIN explained that while there had been no surprises in Ofsted’s findings, they had also recognised strengths and good work that was being done.

Cabinet members recognised that this had been a difficult period for council staff and commended the positive way they had responded.

The interim assistant director explained that the leadership team were working closely with the workforce to develop a recruitment and retention strategy which would be completed by November. Staff had access to the senior leadership and while the improvement process did have an impact on staff there had also been positive feedback. Changes made had allowed staff to spend more time working directly with children and a participation officer was to be recruited to lead on engaging children to make their voice heard.

The chair of the children and young people scrutiny committee commented that the report was a useful guide to what the committee should be scrutinising and that additional meetings of the committee were being held to focus specifically on the improvement process. The scrutiny committee would be working with the centre for governance and scrutiny and the LGA on support, training and mentoring for committee members to improve scrutiny of the service.

Group leaders gave the views of their group. There was concern at the findings of the inspection, the length of time that the service had been underperforming and how the situation had been handled. It was hoped that improvements would be secured this time.

Cabinet members agreed that the challenges were longstanding but a lot of diagnostic work had now been done. It was stressed that any councillors with concerns could raise these with the leader, cabinet member, chair of the scrutiny committee or the chief executive.

It was noted that the recruitment process for a permanent director for children and families was underway and the employment panel was expected to be convened in early November to make an appointment.

It was resolved that:

a)       Cabinet note the outcome of the Ofsted focussed visit on the 7 – 8 July; and

b)       Cabinet note the progress to date against the service priorities identified by Ofsted and other independent reviews undertaken.