Our lead story last week revealed the strength of feeling against Ofsted's use of the descriptor "serious concerns" to cover issues of process and paperwork as well as practice.
As a result of our story, the BBC's Today programme last Friday pitted Association of Directors of Children's Services president Kim Bromley-Derry against Ofsted director for children Roger Shippam. Both outline their positions here this week (see p8).
Thankfully, Ofsted appears to have backed down, saying it will "consider revising" the words and confine the term "serious concern" to matters of child protection practice.
Inspections should of course where necessary alert councils to their failings and challenge them to improve. The term "serious concerns" is an emotive one and sets off alarm bells. But CYP Now has heard of one spot check where inspectors examined 60 child protection referrals, found two of the 60 had missed a seven-day deadline for filing papers by just two days - and called that a "serious concern". Such a senseless use of the term makes a mockery of its reports, so the revision of its terminology cannot come soon enough.
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