Proposals are being explored to end the strategic partnership for children’s services between Hampshire County Council and Isle of Wight Council — after a decade of work between the two local authorities to set firm foundations for ongoing improvement and strong performance in children’s services on the Island.
The two local authorities entered a strategic partnership for children’s services in 2013 following Ofsted judging the Isle of Wight children’s services to be inadequate and with a failing schools’ system.
This meant that Hampshire County Council’s children’s services ran Isle of Wight children’s services on behalf of the Isle of Wight Council, delivering functions such as social care, child protection and safeguarding services, school place planning, school admissions and support for children with special education needs.
The partnership between Hampshire County Council and Isle of Wight Council was initiated by the Department for Education at what was a time of significant challenge for the Island’s educational provision, and its social care services for vulnerable children.
Over time, the two authorities have worked diligently together to improve standards in these areas and to share and strengthen the Island’s overall leadership of children’s services.
This has delivered significant positive results and, thanks to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved, led to the Island’s first Ofsted judgement of ‘good’, in 2018. Since then, children’s services on the Isle of Wight have continued to gain strength and are now in a secure position.
IWC: Renewed resilience, strength and good support for local children and families
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said,
“We have benefitted from a long and supportive partnership with Hampshire County Council.
“Together we worked purposefully to improve services for children and to create a sustainable service. Our success is largely due to the dedication and support of all those who work with our children and young people both staff, councillors and those in our communities — and I thank them wholeheartedly for their support.
“The partnership has evolved over the years to one where the Isle of Wight can now look to the future with renewed resilience, strength and good support for local children and families. We will continue to work closely with colleagues across the water over the next few weeks and months in considering the proposals.”
Humby: Exceptionally proud of all that has been achieved
Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Rob Humby said,
“We are exceptionally proud of all that has been achieved during the partnership with the Isle of Wight and wish to thank all colleagues, both on the Island and in Hampshire, for the skill and dedication they have shown throughout to the children and young people they have worked so hard to support.
“With the successes achieved to date, coupled with growing demand and financial pressure for children’s services in Hampshire and nationally, now feels like the right time for us to consider stepping away from the partnership, which would not only allow the Isle of Wight to continue taking forward its children’s services without the need for Hampshire’s input, but also enable the county council to focus even more closely on the needs of Hampshire children, moving forward.”
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
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