Ofsted joint safeguarding inspections to launch next month

Under the new system Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) will jointly assess how local authorities, the police, health, probation and youth offending services are working together to identify, support and protect vulnerable children and young people.

A total of six inspections will take place in the period up to September. Agencies will be given a notice period of nine working days.

Inspectors will assess the multi-agency response to all forms of child abuse and neglect at the point of identification or referral, as well as rating the quality and impact of assessments and decisions resulting from referrals.

Each inspection will include a "deep dive" element, with the first set focusing on children at risk of sexual exploitation and those missing from home, school or care. Future areas of focus will be decided upon with input from key stakeholders.

Confirmation of the launch follows issues with its introduction. Last year CYP Now revealed the inspections, which had been initially intended for last October, had been delayed amid councils declining approaches to take part in trials.

Ofsted’s national director for social care, Eleanor Schooling, said: “The responsibility of safeguarding cannot rest with one agency alone. These new inspections will provide a comprehensive picture of how several agencies work together in an area to ensure children are safe. This is an important step forward for inspection.
 
“The joint approach will allow us to act swiftly where we are concerned about specific issues in an area so we can ensure that every agency is doing its part.

"Equally, it will give us an important opportunity to look at good practice and really understand how local areas are tackling the challenges they face. We are confident these inspections will support improvement and have a positive impact on the experiences of children and young people."

The inspection report will include narrative findings that clearly set out what the local partnership and agencies are doing well, and what they need to do to improve.

Ofsted has also announced that from February it will be carrying out its own targeted inspections of local authorities and local safeguarding children boards.
 
Used alongside current inspections of local authorities under the single inspection framework, Ofsted said Targeted Local Authority Inspections will allow it, if necessary, to "act proportionately and responsively in areas where risks are identified".