Councils brace themselves for on-the-spot annual safeguarding inspections

10 February 2009 1 min read Joe Lepper Early Years Education Health Social Care

The new form of joint inspections that come into force this April will include unannounced, annual inspections of the way councils safeguard children despite opposition from the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS).

The revised version of the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) framework was due to be confirmed as CYP Now was going to press, with a tougher stance on safeguarding to be brought into the process in the aftermath of the Baby P tragedy in Haringey.

These inspections are set to focus on the referrals of looked-after children and the way their cases are assessed.

In addition, three-yearly reviews of all safeguarding arrangements will take place, but could be brought forward if the annual inspections flag up any problems.

Mike Cladingbowl, project director of Comprehensive Area Assessments at Ofsted, said that the Baby P case had shown the importance of regular inspections of safeguarding.

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