Inspectors upgrade council children's services to 'good'

IMPROVED RATING COMES SEVEN YEARS ON FROM 'INADEQUATE' SHAME

- By EMILY DALTON

AFTER a seven-year improvement process, Surrey County Council's children's services has officially transformed its "inadequate" Ofsted rating to "good".

Inspectors looking at the council's performance in March found "services have improved substantially since the last inspection".

The "inadequate" rating was given to the council's children's services, which include supporting children and families' welfare and protecting vulnerable children, in 2018. The rating was upgraded to "requires improvement" in 2022.

Now a new Ofsted report, published on May 9, states: "Most children and families in Surrey now receive the help, protection and care that they need.

"A model of strengths-based practice has become embedded since the previous inspection. In particular, the quality and consistency of relationship-based practice, direct work with children and families, and written records have significantly improved."

The inspection focussed on the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection, those of children in care, and those of care leavers, as well as the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families.

Each of these focus areas were also judged to be "good", alongside the overall effectiveness.