'Great news' - South Tyneside Council sees further improve in Children’s Services

South Tyneside Council has undergone its third monitoring visit by Ofsted, with the regulator noting improvements across the local authority’s Children’s Services since it was rated ‘Inadequate’ in May 2023.

Inspectors, who visited at the end of July, reviewed the progress made in three key areas; recording of decision making, ensuring there are enough regulated homes and permanent placements scrutiny and challenge.

Following the visit, Ofsted inspectors noted that South Tyneside Council has continued to build on improvements.

Councillor Liz McHugh, Lead Member for Children, Families and Social care and Education and Skills at South Tyneside Council, has welcomed the improvements made to Children’s Services.

She said: “I am pleased to say that yet again they have seen significant improvements in Children’s services.

“Our improvement journey continues, and overall Ofsted noted more oversight, improved practices, and investment in the right areas.

“Most importantly children are being heard and staff are happy and confident in their roles to support families. This is great news, although we still have a way to go.

“We cannot and will not be complacent.

“We are resolute in doing everything we can to improve services for our young people and put them at the heart of everything we do.”

Ofsted inspectors stated that they saw a cumulative improvement in practice: in the development of a transparent open culture; in the oversight of children in and use of unregistered homes; in a more focused approach to corporate parenting; and in managerial oversight at all levels of the service.

It was also noted that investment in the service is creating capacity to provide focused oversight for children in care, which has resulted in positive experiences of care for most of the children that were reviewed on the latest visit.

Ofsted stated that children are being provided with warm and caring environments, which in turn are enabling them to flourish and make progress.

Carers were seen supporting children to access community activities to help build their interests and hobbies, as well as family time being encouraged and supported - with children’s voices being heard in all these arrangements.

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Inspectors also praised social workers who were seen to work hard to form trusting relationships with children by determining their wants and feelings to support child-focused decisions.

It was stated that staff’s workloads are manageable, morale is high and staff feel both respected and valued.

Corporate parenting has been refreshed following consultation with children and young people.

It is now more sharply focused, purposeful, and engaging with a sustained council-wide approach to corporate parenting responsibilities.

The full Ofsted letter from the latest visit at the end of the July can be viewed by clicking here.