West Midlands social workers welcome decision to pull out of pilot scheme

The pilot would have seen the contracting out of services for about 100 looked-after children to an social-worker-led social enterprise.

Simon Cardy, a member of West Midlands Social Work Action Network’s steering group, said: "This is welcome news. This was privatisation of social work, a move that social workers in Sandwell were very much against.

"It was also an experiment at a time when children’s social work can do without experimentation."

Sandwell had already postponed its involvement in the pilot earlier this year after a critical Ofsted report into its safeguarding services.

Sandwell’s cabinet member for children and families, Councillor Bob Badham, said: "We have decided we will not be part of this pilot. The cabinet has made the decision not to proceed."

He added that the council wanted to concentrate on a restructure of children's social care, "in particular safeguarding".

The other areas involved in the pilot are Staffordshire, Kent, Hillingdon, Liverpool and Blackburn with Darwen.