The report by John Coughlan, who was appointed by the Department for Education in June to oversee changes at West Sussex County Council’s children’s services following its “inadequate” rating by Ofsted earlier in the year, details a long list of problems at the council and department.
Coughlan, who is chief executive of Hampshire County Council, said he was recommending handing children's services to an independent trust because urgent action was needed to avoid improvement being held "hostage" to wider problems at the council.
“A children’s trust will take considerable time and resource to establish," he states. "That is why the work required should commence immediately, otherwise children’s services will remain hostage to corporate progress.”
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
