Trafford Council is taking urgent and coordinated action following the publication of the recent Ofsted inspection outcome for children’s services.
The inspection identified serious areas requiring improvement, including the response to children who need help and protection, leadership oversight, decision-making, safety planning and support for some children and young people. It also recognised areas of strong practice, including effective work with many children in care, committed staff, trusted relationships with children and families, and examples of improvement where there has been focused attention.
Under the Ofsted ILACS framework, Trafford received the following judgements:
The Council accepts the seriousness of the findings and is focused on making rapid, evidence-based and sustainable improvements for children, young people and families.
Cllr Tom Ross, the Leader of Trafford Council, said:
“The Ofsted findings require a clear, immediate and sustained corporate response. We are already taking action to strengthen leadership oversight, practice, governance and assurance arrangements, and we will work closely with the Department for Education, the independent Expert Adviser, partners, elected members and staff as we deliver the improvements required.
“I want to thank our staff for their continued hard work and commitment to children and families in Trafford. We know that improvement will only be achieved by supporting our workforce, listening to professional insight, creating the right conditions for good practice, and maintaining a relentless focus on children’s safety, experiences and outcomes.
“We will be open about the progress being made, the challenges that remain, and the further action needed to secure lasting improvement.”
The Council’s response is being taken forward through four connected routes:
A clear improvement plan is being developed to address the issues identified by Ofsted. This will include immediate actions, priorities, responsible officers, timescales, risk management and preparation for future Ofsted monitoring visits.
The Department for Education will appoint an Expert Adviser to work with the Council during the improvement period. The Expert Adviser will provide independent support, oversight and challenge, and will chair an Improvement Board to monitor progress and test whether actions are having the required impact.
The Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee will provide democratic oversight of the inspection findings, improvement plan, governance arrangements, risk management and progress. This will help ensure transparency and accountability as improvement work is taken forward.
The Executive will provide political leadership and make formal decisions where required, including decisions about resources, priorities, risks and delivery arrangements.
Work is already under way to strengthen children’s services. This includes improving decision-making and management oversight at the Front Door, where contacts and referrals are first received and assessed, strengthening performance reporting, stabilising capacity, supporting social workers at the start of their careers, and improving partnership arrangements through the Trafford Safeguarding Children Partnership.
The Council is also focusing on specific areas identified in the inspection, including the response to children at risk of significant harm, safety planning, support for 16 and 17 year old homeless children, young carers, health assessments for children in care and pathway planning for care leavers.
The Council’s priority is to improve outcomes for children, young people and families in Trafford. This means acting quickly where immediate change is needed, maintaining strong support for staff, working closely with partners, and ensuring that elected members and the public can see how progress is being monitored and assured.
The Council will continue to provide updates as the improvement work progresses.