Children's Services Under The Spotlight
Hundreds of children and young people across Herefordshire have been asked their views on how vital services are being delivered in the county.
Herefordshire is one of eight areas in the UK whose Children’s Services are being scrutinised under a new review being carried out over the summer and autumn.
As part of the inspection, known as a Joint Area Review, a multi-disciplinary team of inspectors, headed by Ofsted and nine other inspectorates and commissions, will find out from young people, professionals and agencies how good services are and how well they are delivered together.
Health services, schools, family support, play groups and nurseries are some of the areas that will be inspected.
The focus of the investigation is to test how far services in Herefordshire maximize the health, safety, economic well-being, achievements and contribution of every child in the County.
Inspectors will report on all education and social care services for children and young people that are directly managed or commissioned by Herefordshire Council, and, will include the Council’s newly created Children Services Directorate, alongside key Herefordshire partners.
The Council Directorate was created following the introduction of the new Children’s Act 2004 and has the leadership of improving communication and organisation between local authorities and other bodies delivering children’s services.
Inspectors have already started collecting and analysing data and will shortly start two weeks of fieldwork at the end of September. The results will be published at the end of the year.
Cllr Don Rule, Cabinet Member (Children’s Services), said: "Herefordshire Council and its partners are pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate our achievements on behalf of Children and Young People in Herefordshire, as well as being tested on these service responses that need improvement.”
David Bell, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools, added: “In each review more than 500 children and young people will be asked their views on the services in their area and inspectors will track the experiences of individual children and carry out neighbourhood studies to speak to young people and parents.
“A child-friendly version of the final report will be produced to explain the findings of the review and I hope that by having greater input into reviews children, young people, parents and carers will feel they have more of an opportunity to bring about the improvements they want to see in their local children’s services.”
The Joint Area Review forms part of Herefordshire Council’s overall Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). The CPA is the Government’s league tables of performing councils and will be published in December.
