Ofsted's new inspection focus

It is a little more than three years since Ofsted's previous inspection rated our children's services as "good". We've done a lot of work since then developing staff training and feedback programmes with a focus on our first line and middle managers, building relationships with partners to eliminate duplicated effort and target resources, while investing in new targeted and evidence-based preventative "edge of care" services to keep children with their families.

Our self-assessments indicated that we remained a good service and one that we believed was making a positive difference to people's lives, but we felt it was time to take stock and see if we were doing as well as we thought we were and ask how we could do better.

When Ofsted wrote to every authority offering the chance to take part in the pilot inspection programme it seemed an opportune moment to volunteer.

Frontline inspection

The new approach felt different from the beginning. The focus is almost entirely on the frontline, looking at the results for those we're working with to see what difference we're making where it counts.

We have essential political support, but inspectors spent very little time at county hall - there were no lengthy sessions with politicians and senior managers and no presentations detailing strategy for governance or interventions. They're not looking to see whether management can demonstrate policies exist and tick a box, but whether there is evidence on the frontline of these policies having the intended effect.

For example, inspectors noted that the "missing" procedures were being implemented strongly by frontline staff and then traced up the management and delivery process to see how they had been introduced.

Consequently, there is far less contact at a senior level with fewer opportunities for management to put forward the corporate approach. Instead it is the actions of frontline staff and the results of their work that speak for the service.

That means in the week before the inspection you must be focused with the evidence you provide because once on site, inspectors will be looking in depth in specific areas such as safeguarding, children in need, or leaving care but it will all be done on the frontline - to the extent that they may have a quick chat with the local manager but then will devote their entire time to the frontline practitioners.

I was very happy to be judged by the standard of their work, as we have focused relentlessly in the last five years on developing and retaining staff and I was pleased the report reflects that. This is the cornerstone of our success. A stable, well-trained workforce, with relatively low turnover, brings a stability that benefits the children we work with by providing consistency and continuity.

Motivated staff

Having motivated, settled staff makes it easier to create a specific culture where people know what is expected of them. Performance is assessed regularly as part of a learning culture that includes the lessons from serious case reviews, as well as audit and learning reviews and the direct feedback to Ofsted was that people on the frontline feel supported in their day-to-day work.

Part of that learning culture is for management too: we have regular feedback sessions with staff and then let them know how we have changed things as a result of their input.

The result is that people choose to come and work in Staffordshire - our Families First social worker turnover rate has consistently remained at 3.8 per cent, while agency worker use is between six and seven per cent.

That stability helps the whole service understand our goals when we introduce new evidence-based approaches. For example, Ofsted praised the introduction of several "innovative and high-quality" edge-of-care services preventing children's needs escalating and helping them stay with their families.

Schemes in that area have included:

• Intensive Family Support, which works with families where parents are dealing with addictions, to maintain a stable home so children can remain
• "Breathing Space", which helps mothers who have previously had children taken into care and are pregnant again with parenting programmes
• A focus on reunification to deliver personal support to young people returning home by assessing their needs and those of the family to ensure success.

Every project we ask "What is the point of it?", "What is the evidence to support it?" and "What are the outcomes?". If something is not working, we'll look at the evidence and tweak it or stop it.

This sharp focus on challenge and evidence is paying off: Ofsted's trial inspection rated us as good again.

THREE TOP TIPS FOR INSPECTION

1. Be honest with the inspectors about the good, bad and indifferent: if they know you're aware of a problem and are addressing it, then that might be regarded as something positive rather than a negative.
2. Have a robust self-assessment regime in place and know yourself well so there are no surprises.
3. Engage the wider staff group in preparation and support and empower them in having a conversation with inspectors when they are in their team.

Helen Riley is deputy chief executive and director for families and communities at Staffordshire County Council