New Sandwell DCS expects Ofsted rating improvement
Derren Hayes
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The new privately-employed head of children's services in Sandwell is confident the authority will improve its Ofsted rating by the end of his 30-month contract.
Earlier this year, child protection services at the West Midlands council were deemed to be inadequate by Ofsted, and came just a few years after the inspectorate highlighted problems with safeguarding arrangements at the children's services department.
In response to the difficulties, Sandwell struck a deal in November 2012 with private company Impower to manage the improvement process across the department as part of a £1.15m contract, that also saw experienced director of children's services Simon White brought in and the departure of some existing senior management.
Speaking exclusively to CYP Now six months into the contract, White said that although the deal does not include a specific target to improve the Ofsted rating, exiting the inadequate grading is the minimum expected.
White, previously DCS at Suffolk County Council, said: "To get out from an inadequate Ofsted judgment does not require anything very clever: get a very orderly system, have proper assessment of risk and do care plans that properly address issues of risk and need, have actions that are pertinent to these plans and review them well.
"That's not asking anything too much of any department, including Sandwell."
Reducing the amount spent on intensive, high-cost care packages is key to the council's recovery plan for the department. White said too many children and young people have been entering the formal care system, and a major effort is being made to work with police, health and education to address that.
"Cases need to be held and risk managed by other agencies," explained White, who added that a lack of confidence in the department's ability to manage risk had resulted in cases being referred to it from other agencies too readily.
"That will only happen when [they] have confidence that if things get more difficult they will get the support they need from us. We need to agree with partners referral pathways and thresholds, but it is as much a psychological issue and about changing beliefs and behaviours across all agencies."
Sandwell's partnership with Impower is thought to be the first time an outside organisation has been given such an integral role in running a children's department.
To read more about the Impower partnership with Sandwell see the current issue of CYP Now or read online.