Blackpool to retain control of children’s services following DfE review

Children’s services at Blackpool Council was given the lowest Ofsted rating in January 2019, with inspectors highlighting “longstanding and widespread failures” in the quality of social work practice.

Following a two-year review of progress by the Department for Education, Helen Lincoln, the government-appointed commissioner in charge of the review, has recommended that the council be allowed to continue providing children’s social care services in Blackpool and that there is no need for further intervention on her part or for consideration of an alternative delivery method.

In her final report Lincoln said that over the past 18 months Blackpool has put in place the building blocks required to enable “substantial and lasting improvement” for children and families, noting considerable improvement in leadership, practice and partnership arrangements.

She also highlighted a gradual reduction in social worker caseloads as a result of a £4m investment by the council for the recruitment of more than 100 qualified social workers.

“There continues to be very significant challenges for Blackpool, not least the very high level of poverty and deprivation in the town and the economic challenge to the council through significant lost revenue this year,” Lincoln said.

“These challenges are evident in continuing high levels of demand on children’s services as seen by numbers of referrals, children subject to child protection plans and children in care.

“However, Blackpool is now responding to the needs of its children and families in more restorative and problem-solving ways, with more support from partners and early help to meet children’s needs, so that social worker caseloads are slowly reducing giving them more time to work with children and families with complex needs."  

Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We are extremely encouraged by the commissioner’s stamp of approval of the improvements we have made.

“Our director of children’s services, her team and our partners have worked tirelessly to address the challenges identified in the original report. We acknowledge that this is not the end of the journey and that there is much more to be done, not just in sustaining the improvements that have been made, but in taking the quality of delivery of our children’s services to the next level.

“It goes without saying that our priority has, and will always be, the wellbeing of our children and ensuring that they can enjoy the best and happiest life chances.”

Diane Booth, Blackpool’s director of children’s services, who is due to retire this month, said: “I am extremely proud of the progress that we have made in the most challenging of circumstances.

“I share the commissioner’s view that the service is now built on solid foundations and that we have a model of practice in place that will enable us to meet head on the challenges that lie ahead.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to the children’s services team, the corporate workforce and our partners as this has been an exemplary team effort.”