In a consistently positive report, Ofsted has described the timely and robust practice of social workers and other practitioners who ensure that children are kept safe and that they and their families receive appropriate and effective support to meet their individual needs. The news comes following a recent outstanding Ofsted rating for Swanwick Lodge, the County Council’s secure children’s home which provides safe and specialist support for the most vulnerable children and young people.
Welcoming the news, Councillor Roz Chadd, the County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Children’s Services, said: “We have always been proud of the quality of our Children’s Services. Of our many legal responsibilities as a local authority, supporting children and young people to get the best possible start in life and protecting those who are most vulnerable, are undoubtedly amongst the most important. Our latest Ofsted inspection confirms again that we continue to do this to the very highest national standards, despite the backdrop of growing demand and complexity in the needs of children locally – a situation mirrored across the country.”
Councillor Nick Adams-King, Leader of the County Council, added: “As an adoptive parent myself, who has also worked with foster carers, I know first-hand the life-changing difference that Children’s Services make to vulnerable children. I am immensely proud that in Hampshire we continue to deliver these services to such high standards despite the current challenging conditions across local government overall. This is testament to the skill and dedication of all Hampshire’s staff working across the service, under the excellent stewardship of our Director of Children’s Services, Stuart Ashley and Deputy Director Steph How. Thank you and congratulations to them all on this exceptional outcome, which means that Hampshire children and families who need extra help and protection continue to be supported by one of the few authorities in the country with outstanding rated Children’s Services.”
Ofsted’s report follows a rigorous inspection of the County Council’s Children’s Services, including all aspects of children’s social care, which took place between 4 and 14 June 2024. Key findings include the ‘significant and continuing strength’ of the County Council’s inclusive and creative approach to protecting children, which sees staff work closely with parents, wider family members and friends to ‘strengthen family resilience’ and achieve ‘positive and sustainable change’. Parents are supported to ‘develop skills and strategies to better meet their children’s needs’ and this, together with support from wider networks, enables more children to stay safely at home.
Those children who do come into the local authority’s care do so for the right reasons and receive ‘consistently good and nurturing care’ tailored to their individual needs. Their social workers are ‘strong advocates’ who take the time to ‘develop trusted relationships’ and ‘focus on listening to children and understanding the impact of their experiences’. As children go on to leave care, they are well supported by ‘tenacious and determined personal advisors’ in all aspects of their transitions to adulthood and independence.
Representing the voice of each child remains a key priority for the County Council, and Ofsted has praised the role that children’s needs and views have in shaping their individual plans and decisions about their care. The establishment of a new Children in Care Council and a new Care Experienced Adults Council has also given children and adults ‘a stronger and more influential voice in the services provided to them.’
There is recognition too for the support of Children’s Services at both a political and corporate level, with leaders working ‘exceptionally well together’ to achieve positive outcomes for children and ensure that children in care and care leavers have ‘the same opportunities and experiences as other young adults’. Leaders are ‘unwavering in their ambition for children’ and have ‘no sense of complacency’ as they continue to strive for even higher standards.
Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s National Director for Regulation and Social Care, said: “Hampshire’s “outstanding” inspection outcome reflects the continued determination of Director Stuart Ashley and his leadership team, managers and frontline staff, as well as the wider council and their safeguarding partners. They should all be proud of the positive difference they have made for the children and families of Hampshire.”
The report published today (23 July 2024) comes at a time when more than 10,000 children, young people and their families are receiving specialist children’s social care services, including more than 1,900 children in care. Visit the Ofsted website to read the report in full.