'We will continue to focus on improving outcomes for children across the city...'

Council pledge as Ofsted inspectors say children's services still not good enough

- Phil Corrigan Local Democracy Reporter

SERVICES for vulnerable children in Stoke-on-Trent still need to get better, inspectors have found.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s children’s services have again been rated as ‘requires improvement to be good’ following an Ofsted inspection in May.

Children’s social care in the city was finally moved out of government intervention this year, six years after being rated as ‘inadequate’ in a damning inspection report. This rating was upgraded to ‘requires improvement’ in 2022.

According to the latest Ofsted report, there have been some ‘incremental’ improvements since the 2022 inspection in areas such as private fostering arrangements, despite several changes in the senior leadership team.

But the report says that the ‘pace of change to date has not been sufficient for vulnerable children.

The report lists various service areas that need to improve, including the local offer for care leavers to enhance employment and training opportunities, with outcomes currently described as ‘weak.