Ofsted children's services re-inspection plans ‘carry a risk'

Under proposals set out last month, the inspectorate wants to change regulations so that re-inspections focus solely on service areas rated inadequate rather than all elements of children's services.

Responding to a consultation on the proposals, which closed yesterday, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), said that, while it broadly welcomes the changes, they “represent a calculated risk for both the inspectorate and the inspected”.

“ADCS members stand ready to work with Ofsted to establish how best to collectively manage and mitigate against any such risks,” the consultation response states.

Under the current framework, Ofsted should re-inspect an inadequate local authority across all service areas within 18 to 24 months.

But the regulator has been struggling with resources in the face of cuts to its budget imposed by central government. It had been due to complete the three-year inspection cycle for children’s services departments by November 2016 – but the completion date has been put back to December 2017.

So far more than 20 local authorities have been rated inadequate.

Removing the requirement for all four service areas that local authorities are currently rated on – children who need help and protection, looked-after children, leadership, management and governance, and the effectiveness of the local safeguarding children board – to be re-inspected is likely to mean that Ofsted will make resource savings.

However it could also mean that serious issues in service areas that are not subject to re-inspection may be missed.

The ADCS response said that plans to reduce the burden of re-inspection will have the positive effect of allowing the focus of local authorities to “remain firmly on the improvement journey rather than servicing the machinery of inspection itself”.

It said the re-inspection of an inadequate local authority should take place at least 24 months after the original inspection, with an option for the authority to request an earlier assessment if it is confident that services have improved sufficiently.

“Past experience shows that re-inspecting in a shorter timescale can be highly disruptive to the improvement process, particularly if there has been a significant change in the senior management team – leadership needs a chance to lead,” the response states.

The response also calls for further clarity around the role the Department for Education (DfE) could play in deciding when an authority is to be re-visited by inspectors.

“There will be a need for transparency in the conversations that take place between Ofsted and the DfE as to the timing of the re-inspection and ADCS members are clear that the main driver must be the views of the local authority itself.

“It is critical that the inspectorate retains its impartiality and is free from political influence.”