Agenda item

To receive the feedback from the recent Ofsted visit which was also considered by the Cabinet at their meeting on 7 December 2021.

Members considered a report which followed an Inspection of Dorset Local Authority Children’s Services as part of Ofsted’s framework for inspecting services for children. The Cabinet had considered the report at their meeting on 7 December 2021.

The next steps in the report were highlighted to members.

Areas of discussion/questions

Members offered their congratulations on the report and felt it was gratifying to see all the good work that had been achieved being recognised.

There had been great improvements made in the care of children during the past couple of years.

What extent did the blueprint for change and reorganisation help achieve this outcome? Any reorganisation was challenging especially when new ways of working were required. Locality models all had their own individual characteristics. The locality approach worked well for families and Ofsted had underlined this.  Colleagues across the country were now asking questions about the Blueprint.

Pleased to note foster training mentioned in the report. Highlighted the need to recruit more foster carers and information like this encouraged people to come forward. There would be a update on the Fostering Service on the agenda for the march meeting.

In respect of corporate parenting, what would Ofsted and the council expect to achieve an Excellent grading across the Board? The serious responsibility of being a corporate parent was highlighted and members were advised that the Council currently was Corporate Parent to 431 children. The Corporate Parenting Board and Care Leaver Delivery Group were not resting on their laurels and were actively working towards achieving the next steps. Officers in Housing were working closely with Children’s Services with focused work around care leavers and accommodation. The situation was improving but not where we needed to be yet. Officers were broadening options as wide as possible for all our young people, care leavers and families.

With reference to whether any progress was being made in respect of options for care leavers being limited and how far had this been taken forward.   There was now in place a real council approach to ensure there was the right provision in place for care leavers and action being taken to have good oversight of care leavers in accommodation.

Alternative visiting arrangements highlighted.

There was a supported living premises in Sherborne a number of years ago, now the subject of planning permission for private flats. The concern about losing accommodation of this kind was highlighted. Officers advised they were in discussions with registered providers and Homes England around accommodation.

In the action plan, all the recommendation had closure dates which were fairly short, was that an Ofsted requirement?  Yes, an action plan had to be submitted by 2 March.  The annual conversation with Ofsted would take place in March also. Plans were in place to maintain standard and improve in respect of corporate parenting.

The future of the strengthening services Board? This had been a good partnership mechanism and officers wanted to keep it in place but with a different title. The Board informed the Children’s Safeguarding Board which worked well.

The Self-assessment for Ofsted was being completed in April and could then come back to members at the appropriate time.

Decision

That the committee have scrutinised and noted the Ofsted Feedback Report.