Children in Sefton are “experiencing ongoing harm” due to continuing failings in the borough’s troubled children’s services.
After carrying out a monitoring visit earlier this year, Ofsted said “insufficient progress” is being made to turn the service around following its inadequate rating.
In a report released last week, inspectors said there is “continued drift and delay” with risks to some of the borough’s most vulnerable children “not always fully recognised.”
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The pace of improvements being undertaken at the service is “too slow” according to the report, with the council’s reliance on agency workers leaving the service “fragile.”
The report notes that “most assessments are weak”, leading to children not getting the right support that meets their needs. With a lack of sufficient focus on improving children’s lives, weaknesses around support for domestic abuse and mental health were also identified, with some children being placed in unsuitable accommodation which “increases their vulnerability.”
Some children are being left in situations of neglect or with support ended prematurely due to poor decision-making and lack of training and knowledge.
The report noted some positive changes in terms of management oversight of decisions, a strengthened quality assurance framework and the implementation of audits, which had previously been absent.
However, the report states that while steps are currently being taken to improve recruitment and retention of social workers, including through the development of a social work academy, ongoing issues around staff retention continues to be a “significant challenge” that is leading under-pressure social workers to work “excessive hours” with complex case loads.
Responding to the report, interim director of children’s services Dr Risthardh Hare said he was “disappointed” that the inspectors judged the pace of improvement too slow.
Dr Hare said: “Whilst I acknowledge that Sefton Council Children’s Services and partners still have work to do on our improvement journey, I was pleased that Ofsted have recognised how changes over the last year are starting to make a positive difference in areas such as services for disabled children and children with complex needs, senior management oversight and stability in the workforce, which were all key elements of our initial phase of our Improvement Plan.
“Our dedicated staff are committed to delivering the improvements needed. Social workers feel valued and listened to and value the training opportunities they now have and have been able to implement their learning.
“Of course, I was disappointed to read that the inspectors thought the pace of improvement has been too slow in some areas.
"Recruitment and retention of social workers remains a significant challenge and barrier to improvement, as it is for others across the country, and we continue to depend on agency social workers, but we have taken steps to address this including the introduction of our Social Work Academy and recruitment of social workers from overseas.”
He said the council had already sought to address some of the concerns raised during the Ofsted visit last February that led to the inadequate rating adding that an improvement plan was being “pushed forward.”
Dr Hare added that additional funding had been provided to deal with “unprecedented” demand and pressures on the services.
He said: “There is still work to, but we are confident that with our committed workforce and partners, the significant financial investment into Children’s Services, our ambitious plans can be delivered, and improvements made at pace.
“Improving our service is not just about improving the Ofsted rating, it’s about making sure children benefit from the best services, care and support possible, making sure they are safe, protected and inspired to reach their full potential.”
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