For most children's services departments in England, last Wednesday wasD-day as Ofsted published the second-ever batch of annual performanceassessments (APAs).
Any tension is understandable. It may only be a year since integratedinspections of children's services arrived, but APAs are now a key testof how well local authorities are meeting the challenge of deliveringEvery Child Matters. And, as ever, there have been winners andlosers.
This year, seven local authorities - Camden, Gloucestershire, Knowsley,Shropshire, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Worcestershire - achievedexcellent APA ratings across the board. Meanwhile, Stoke-on-Trent andBristol were the only councils to be awarded the lowest APA grade forchildren's services.
Flo Hadley, Ofsted's head of children's services, says that afterapprehension over whether councils would be able to make progress,things are improving.
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