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Wilshaw's tough message on child protection services | Wilshaw's tough message on child protection services |
(35 minutes later) | |
"Manifestly and palpably weak" leadership and a high turnover of directors are undermining efforts to improve children's services in England, says Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. | "Manifestly and palpably weak" leadership and a high turnover of directors are undermining efforts to improve children's services in England, says Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. |
There are 20 local authorities rated as inadequate for protecting children. | There are 20 local authorities rated as inadequate for protecting children. |
Sir Michael branded Birmingham as an example of bad practice, which he called a "national disgrace". | Sir Michael branded Birmingham as an example of bad practice, which he called a "national disgrace". |
He suggested the local authority might need to be broken up. | He suggested the local authority might need to be broken up. |
Sir Michael also called for a wider recognition of the impact of children's environments, such as irresponsible and alcohol-dependent parents and living on streets lined with betting shops and fast-food shops. | Sir Michael also called for a wider recognition of the impact of children's environments, such as irresponsible and alcohol-dependent parents and living on streets lined with betting shops and fast-food shops. |
'Failure' | |
Presenting his annual report on social care, Sir Michael delivered a series of hard hitting messages about weaknesses in protecting children. | Presenting his annual report on social care, Sir Michael delivered a series of hard hitting messages about weaknesses in protecting children. |
Inspectors only rated four in 10 local authorities as "good" or better for safeguarding. | Inspectors only rated four in 10 local authorities as "good" or better for safeguarding. |
It should be an "urgent priority" of government to examine the role of local authority safeguarding bodies, said Sir Michael. | It should be an "urgent priority" of government to examine the role of local authority safeguarding bodies, said Sir Michael. |
His inspectors had often reported major concerns about these bodies, he said. | His inspectors had often reported major concerns about these bodies, he said. |
And he warned about the negative impact of too much "volatility" in the senior leadership in children's services. | And he warned about the negative impact of too much "volatility" in the senior leadership in children's services. |
"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," said Sir Michael. | "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," said Sir Michael. |
He warned that poor leadership was often isolated from frontline staff, such as social workers, many of whom felt "profoundly undervalued". | He warned that poor leadership was often isolated from frontline staff, such as social workers, many of whom felt "profoundly undervalued". |
Sir Michael said that the average career span in social work was only eight years and the profession faced a "demographic timebomb". | Sir Michael said that the average career span in social work was only eight years and the profession faced a "demographic timebomb". |
He delivered a stinging attack on Birmingham's services for children - accusing them of long-running failures in supporting the safety and well-being of young people in England's biggest authority. | He delivered a stinging attack on Birmingham's services for children - accusing them of long-running failures in supporting the safety and well-being of young people in England's biggest authority. |
The city had a poor record on child mortality and child poverty, he said, and there had been repeated failings in inspections and inadequate serious case reviews. | The city had a poor record on child mortality and child poverty, he said, and there had been repeated failings in inspections and inadequate serious case reviews. |
This was "failure of corporate governance on a grand scale", he said. | This was "failure of corporate governance on a grand scale", he said. |
Asked after his speech if he meant that the authority should be broken up, he said that was the implication of his argument. | Asked after his speech if he meant that the authority should be broken up, he said that was the implication of his argument. |
In response a Birmingham City Council spokesman said: "We are already on record as saying that we have failed to meet the basic expectation of keeping vulnerable children in this city safe. This is a long-standing problem which we acknowledge and the leader has said that improving children's services is his number one priority." | |
"What we don't need, however, is simply a repetition of our failings without any proposed solutions," said the council spokesman. | |
'Social breakdown' | |
Sir Michael also warned of the destructive force of "social breakdown" on young lives and how they were let down by their families. | Sir Michael also warned of the destructive force of "social breakdown" on young lives and how they were let down by their families. |
"They lack more than money, they lack parents who will take responsibility," he said. | "They lack more than money, they lack parents who will take responsibility," he said. |
There were 705,000 children living with alcohol-dependent parents and 130,000 in homes where there was domestic violence. | There were 705,000 children living with alcohol-dependent parents and 130,000 in homes where there was domestic violence. |
"Compassion should not be about making excuses," said Sir Michael, who warned about the corrosive consequences of the "hollowing out and fragmentation" of families. | "Compassion should not be about making excuses," said Sir Michael, who warned about the corrosive consequences of the "hollowing out and fragmentation" of families. |
He quoted Louise Casey, the so-called troubled families tsar, as warning that there was too much "pussyfooting around" in supporting families, with too many meetings and too little action. | He quoted Louise Casey, the so-called troubled families tsar, as warning that there was too much "pussyfooting around" in supporting families, with too many meetings and too little action. |
Debbie Jones, Ofsted's national director of social care, said that the child protection system was under "huge pressure", with rising volumes of work at a time when local authority budgets were under pressure. | Debbie Jones, Ofsted's national director of social care, said that the child protection system was under "huge pressure", with rising volumes of work at a time when local authority budgets were under pressure. |
The 20 councils where the standard of child protection services has been judged "inadequate" by Ofsted are: | 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. | 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. |