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| More child services 'inadequate' | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The number of children's services in England deemed inadequate by inspectors is expected to rise significantly. | |
| Ofsted, which came under fire after the Baby P scandal, will publish annual assessments of children's services in 150 local authorities later. | Ofsted, which came under fire after the Baby P scandal, will publish annual assessments of children's services in 150 local authorities later. |
| Last year no councils were found to be inadequate overall and four were inadequate at keeping children safe. | |
| Ofsted is expected to say inspections will be more rigorous from next year, but critics have demanded action now. | |
| Chairman of the Commons children and families select committee Barry Sheerman told the BBC the system should be overhauled "immediately". | |
| 'Misleading' data | 'Misleading' data |
| Earlier this month, MPs called for Ofsted to review the way it inspects children's services. | Earlier this month, MPs called for Ofsted to review the way it inspects children's services. |
| The call came amid criticism that Ofsted inspectors had made "favourable" inspections of north London's Haringey Council, where Baby P died last year. | The call came amid criticism that Ofsted inspectors had made "favourable" inspections of north London's Haringey Council, where Baby P died last year. |
| He suffered months of abuse while on the council's child protection register. | He suffered months of abuse while on the council's child protection register. |
| A more thorough inspection this year revealed gross inadequacies in Haringey Council's child protection service. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
| During a question session with MPs, Ofsted's chief inspector Christine Gilbert admitted the inspection in 2007 was misleading because, she argued, her inspectors had been misled by Haringey's data. | During a question session with MPs, Ofsted's chief inspector Christine Gilbert admitted the inspection in 2007 was misleading because, she argued, her inspectors had been misled by Haringey's data. |
| Social workers' caseloads were heavier than had been reported and files were not closed promptly as they should have been, she said. | Social workers' caseloads were heavier than had been reported and files were not closed promptly as they should have been, she said. |
| She told MPs she was writing to all council chief executives in England saying she expected them to vouch for the data their managers provided. | She told MPs she was writing to all council chief executives in England saying she expected them to vouch for the data their managers provided. |
| She also said plans had been announced to reform and enhance the inspection of child protection. | She also said plans had been announced to reform and enhance the inspection of child protection. |
| The Commons children and families select committee is planning to investigate Ofsted. | The Commons children and families select committee is planning to investigate Ofsted. |
| Mr Sheerman said there were concerns that "the comfortable view of inspection for schools" was inappropriate for child protection.Christine Gilbert appeared before the select committee last week | |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he accused Ms Gilbert of being "complacent" and said she had rejected "out of hand" the committee's suggestions for improving children services departments. | |
| "I put it to herâ¦. why didn't she embed, immediately, an inspector in each of them so that there was actually a real human being there, looking people in the eye, going out with young social workers on their difficult visits," he said. | |
| "Really embedding them so it wasn't a paper-based inspection - it was a hands-on, really integrated inspection." | |
| Mr Sheerman said the "strains" placed on inspectors were clear as they tried to juggle responsibility for monitoring schools, nurseries and child protection. | |
| "I think very often they are taking the kind of inspection system that is probably alright, but not wonderful, for schools across to children's services and it doesn't work," he added. |