Inspectors criticise council over children's services

A DAMNING report into children's services in Sandwell has rated the council's care of vulnerable youngsters as inadequate.

Sandwell Council has now promised to act quickly to address its "serious failings".

A joint review by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission released last week ranked the overall effectiveness of safeguarding services for children at the lowest possible level.

The authority's provision was deemed inadequate in 12 out of 14 areas.

That included criticism of its ability to improve.

Martin Ayres, reporting inspector for the reviews in November and December, said: "The analysis of safeguarding need within the diverse children's population in Sandwell is inadequate and lacks comprehensive awareness of potential risk to some vulnerable groups within the community."

Officials said improvements that were achieved after an inspection in 2006 had not been sustained.

They found fluctuating staffing levels, including frequent staff turnover, along with referral and assessment pressures, had led to a "degree of turbulence" in front line services.

Staff were criticised for placing too much emphasis on specific issues – known as headline indicators – rather than the quality of the service and its outcomes.

Officials also said they failed to routinely seek the views of children.

Managers were criticised for signing off assessments as completed when the quality was inadequate.

The council did fare better in its provision for "looked after" children, which was rated as adequate.

But none of the authority's children's services were rated good or outstanding.

The report said the council's residential care provision was "not well focused on the needs of groups of young people in the borough, including young women who may be exposed to sexual exploitation".

Sandwell Council's leader, Councillor Darren Cooper, pledged to begin far-reaching and rapid improvements in safeguarding vulnerable children.

"We apologise for the serious failings on safeguarding identified in the report and are taking action," he said.

"As the council's new leader, I am determined this will happen quickly and we will do everything we can as a council to make sure vulnerable children in Sandwell are safe."

The council is looking to recruit a new executive director of children and young people's services after Roger Crouch resigned last month for "personal reasons and in the interests of the service".

The authority placed some of the blame for the poor report on a "dramatic rise" in child protection referrals, which are up 50 per cent in the borough, and Councillor Cooper said this had placed extra pressure on the service.

"It is clear we need to do much better and we already have a strong, new team in place," he said. Anyone with concerns can call 0845 3528 710.