Ofsted, which carried out a focused visit last month, reports that the service's leadership team has since last June "secured marked improvements in the local authority's response to contacts and referrals".
Serious problems in recruiting and retaining children's services staff had resulted in "excessive" workloads among some social workers, according to the joint targeted area inspection (JTAI) report published last summer.
The service, which is rated "requires improvement", has cut the children's social worker vacancy rate from 37 per cent to 25 per cent, with empty positions filled by agency staff. Ofsted describes social workers as "positive and optimistic".
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
