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| Child protection 'inadequate', Ofsted chief warns | Child protection 'inadequate', Ofsted chief warns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One in seven councils in England are "inadequate" at caring for some of the most vulnerable children in society, the watchdog Ofsted has warned. | One in seven councils in England are "inadequate" at caring for some of the most vulnerable children in society, the watchdog Ofsted has warned. |
| The standard of child protection was found to be "unacceptably poor" at 20 councils. | The standard of child protection was found to be "unacceptably poor" at 20 councils. |
| Only one in four local authorities were rated "good" at safeguarding children, the new report by Ofsted said. | Only one in four local authorities were rated "good" at safeguarding children, the new report by Ofsted said. |
| Ofsted is responsible for inspecting children's social care, including child protection services, in 353 councils. | |
| The watchdog said more needed to be done to address "incompetent and ineffective" leadership in children's services, saying one in three local authorities in England had changed its director of children's services last year. | The watchdog said more needed to be done to address "incompetent and ineffective" leadership in children's services, saying one in three local authorities in England had changed its director of children's services last year. |
| The report also found the nationwide picture of poor performance was complex and changing - with the group of authorities currently judged inadequate this year being very different to those of July 2012. | |
| In its first stand-alone social care annual report, Ofsted found that in the weakest councils: | |
| • basic acceptable practice was not in place | • basic acceptable practice was not in place |
| • supervision, management oversight, purposeful work with families and decisive action where children were at risk from harm were ineffective | • supervision, management oversight, purposeful work with families and decisive action where children were at risk from harm were ineffective |
| • the views of children and families were rarely considered | • the views of children and families were rarely considered |
| • support from key statutory partners - health, police, schools - was weak and poorly co-ordinated | • support from key statutory partners - health, police, schools - was weak and poorly co-ordinated |
| • managers did not appear to have a firm understanding of what constituted good practice - making the management of risk and support for staff at the frontline almost impossible. | • managers did not appear to have a firm understanding of what constituted good practice - making the management of risk and support for staff at the frontline almost impossible. |
| 'Danergous mix' | 'Danergous mix' |
| Chief inspector of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw said: "As it stands today, there are 20 councils where the standard of child protection is unacceptably poor and judged to be inadequate. | Chief inspector of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw said: "As it stands today, there are 20 councils where the standard of child protection is unacceptably poor and judged to be inadequate. |
| "Incompetent and ineffective leadership must be addressed quickly. But where those in leadership positions have capacity and potential, this must be recognised and nurtured. | "Incompetent and ineffective leadership must be addressed quickly. But where those in leadership positions have capacity and potential, this must be recognised and nurtured. |
| "Too much leadership volatility in social care is counter-productive - that goes without saying. One in three local authorities has had a change in their director of children's services last year alone. | "Too much leadership volatility in social care is counter-productive - that goes without saying. One in three local authorities has had a change in their director of children's services last year alone. |
| "The combination of unstable communities and political and managerial instability in our social care services is a dangerous mix." | "The combination of unstable communities and political and managerial instability in our social care services is a dangerous mix." |
| The 20 councils where the standard of child protection services has been judged "inadequate" by Ofsted are: | |
| Barnsley, Bexley, Birmingham, Blackpool, Calderdale, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire East, Cumbria, Devon, Doncaster, Herefordshire, Isle of Wight, Kingston upon Thames, Medway, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Rochdale, Sandwell, Slough and Somerset. |