This in from the Isle of Wight Council, in their own words. Ed
Significant progress has been made to improve standards in children’s social services at the Isle of Wight Council, resulting in a step up in judgement. Ofsted has officially removed the service from its ‘inadequate’ category and raised it to ‘requires improvement’.
This important step follows Ofsted’s most recent detailed inspection of services for children in need of help, care and protection, carried out between 16 September and 8 October 2014.
Bacon: “Definitely on the right track”
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Executive member for children’s services at the Isle of Wight Council, commented:
“The value of this latest judgement should not be underestimated and signals real achievement by the council, the department and especially our staff. At the last inspection in 2012, children’s social services were spiralling on a downward trajectory. It is generally understood that that inspection result was one of the worst of its kind and drastic intervention was needed.
“The work undertaken since last year together with the decision to enter into a partnership with Hampshire County Council has been vindicated and the strategy to raise standards is seeing substantial results. It also follows the news in the summer that our school improvement services are now effective.
“Clearly we still have a long way to go and we must not be complacent but this affirms that we are most definitely on the right track.”
Driving demonstrable improvements across children’s services
In its report, Ofsted states that the strategic partnership between the Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire County Council is “providing essential stability and is driving demonstrable improvements across children’s services on the Island”.
Inspectors commented that the “creative, sector-led model for improvement is beginning to lead to improvement in the quality and reliability of services to children and families”.
Coughlan: “A genuine leap forward”
Director of children’s services, John Coughlan, said:
“Make no mistake, this is a genuine leap forward from where the department was two years ago and a truly positive outcome. Considering the low base from which we started, to have made such substantial progress, in a relatively short timeframe, is to be celebrated. Given the current tougher Ofsted framework, it is probably impossible to jump from inadequate straight to the ‘good’ judgement we are all aiming for.
“From the outset, we have been under no illusions that our journey of improvement is likely to take up to five years for us to be where we want to be.”
He continued:
“I am reassured that Ofsted’s findings accord with our own self assessment of our progress to date and what is needed to get better still. Crucially, for me, Ofsted has seen that most children and their families are now receiving the right level of support, at the right time.
“Of course, there is a great deal of work still to be done but I am confident that we have the right people in place to do this.
“Isle of Wight children’s services staff are working exceptionally hard to help and protect vulnerable children on the island and they should be praised for their skill, care and commitment. I am especially pleased that they can now officially be proud of their vital work and share my own optimism for the future.
“The next stage of our improvement journey won’t be any easier but now we all know we are well on the way.”
Image: Nanny Snowflake under CC BY 2.0
