DfE ends intervention in Hull City Council’s children’s services

Commissioner Paul Moffatt was appointed by the government in January 2019 after Ofsted inspectors found “deterioration” of children’s services and “serious weaknesses” in provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) at the council.

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In a letter to Matt Jukes, chief executive of the Yorkshire local authority, sent last week, children’s minister Brendan Clarke-Smith notes that in his last review, Moffatt reported “positive work” to improve the quality of work by the council over the last two years.

“I am aware this has continued over the last six months,” the letter states.

However, Clarke-Smith has issued an improvement notice to the local authority, noting that “there is still some distance for the council to travel”.

The notice lists several areas as a key focus for further improvement in Hull including reducing its reliance on social work agency staff and investment in training and development for frontline workers and newly qualified staff and team managers.

The council is also urged to “communicate with and listen to the lived experience of service users and putting that at the core of all decision making”.

According to Clarke-Smith’s letter, the improvement notice “will refer and apply only to the council’s children’s social care services, as DfE and NHS England will monitor, support, and challenge the council’s progress in SEND via biannual reviews”.