Manchester council has been rated 'Good' by Ofsted for the first time ever, eight years after the local authority was found to be leaving hundreds of vulnerable children at risk of sexual abuse, physical harm and neglect.
It follows a full inspection by the watchdog in March which looked at council services which are supposed to protect children and young people in the city. This is first time that Manchester's children's services have been rated 'Good' since the body started inspecting local authorities in this way a decade ago.
It comes after the council was judged as 'inadequate' in 2014 when Ofsted found a backlog of nearly 500 children waiting to be assigned a social worker. The damning verdict identified 'widespread' failings at the town hall.
Three years later, the council came out of special measures, but inspectors ruled that it still required improvement – a rating which remained until now. The new rating of 'Good' means Manchester's children's services are now among the best in the region, as no North West authorities are rated higher.
Labour councillor Garry Bridges, who is the executive member for children and Schools at Manchester council, said this is a 'great achievement' for the city. He said: "I'm pleased that Ofsted recognise the strength of our commitment and the improvements we've made in the services we provide for children, along with the investment we've put in to help us achieve this.
"We couldn't have done it without our dedicated staff and their determination to always do their best for our children - a determination which didn't falter even during Covid - and it's a credit to them that we've continued to improve despite the challenges of the pandemic. Inspectors could see that children matter in Manchester – they're involved in decisions in the city and our staff put them at the centre of everything they do. Inspectors heard first-hand from young people themselves about the positive difference they've made to their lives.
"Children will continue to be our priority - we've already dedicated 2022 to children and young people - and have formally committed to becoming a UNICEF recognised Child Friendly City. We've moved on a long way from being rated Inadequate by Ofsted in 2014 and are determined that Manchester is recognised as an authority which values children's services, and as a city where children come first."
Inspectors found children's services in the city have significantly improved since the last inspection in 2017, praising the 'consistent practice' in services for children when they first need support, come into care and leave care. However, the report which rates the council 'Good' in three out of four areas, identifies improvements required for children who need help and protection.
Inspectors found that social workers themselves are positive about working in Manchester and value the support they get from managers, especially during the pandemic when they ensured the whole workforce was kept up to speed. Social workers who have been at the local authority since the last Ofsted visit told inspectors about a change in culture which is improving children's lives.
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Paul Marshall, who is the strategic director for children and education services, Manchester council, said the report is 'testament to the hard work and dedication' of staff and partners who are 'committed to building a safe, happy, healthy, and successful future for all children and young people in the city'. He said: "Whilst we welcome the inspection findings and our Good rating we're far from complacent.
"We know there are things that we still need to improve and are fully sighted on them and are making the improvements we need to at pace. We're confident that we're heading in the right direction towards ensuring the very best outcomes for every child in the city and are certain Ofsted will see continued improvements when they next inspect us."
Inspectors found that political and senior leaders in the city have maintained a consistently strong focus on improving practice, that they work alongside their partners well, and have continued to improve services for most children despite the impact of Covid-19 on the workforce and on communities.
City leaders were also praised for a continued financial commitment to improving services for children in Manchester, which has included increasing the number of social workers and introducing a career pathway for them, as well as embedding a learning culture across the workforce - all of which have strengthened the council's ability to retain experienced social workers.
The areas highlighted by Ofsted which require further improvement include better understanding the effects of domestic abuse on children and their parents' lives; improving the quality and timeliness of children's written records; recognising and meeting the diverse needs of children arising from race, religion, ethnicity and culture; and creating a better understanding of the impact of a child's disability to help disabled children achieve their potential.
