A COUNCIL chief executive has stopped short of issuing an apology after a damning Ofsted report rated children's services at Darlington Borough Council as inadequate.

Ada Burns expressed disappointment and regret at the report, but insisted there was no crisis and said there would be no resignations or disciplinary action as a result.

She said: "Ofsted has identified some very important areas that we need to improve in, but it has also identified some real strengths and good outcomes for children and their families.

"I am disappointed that those strengths are not reflected in the overall judgement.

"It is really important to give that assurance that all the children who are known to us and who we are working with have been seen and are safe.

"We accept the report and the recommendations and we are already setting about implementing them."

COMMENT: Disturbing failings

Ofsted outlined no fewer than 18 recommendations for improvements, including:

  • Ensuring robust management oversight of the single assessment process, so children and families are seen and risks evaluated within timescales that meet the child's need;
  • Review the configuration of social work teams to ensure fair workload distribution and a working environment that supports good social work practice;
  • Review resources for staff performance monitoring and ensuring robust arrangements are put in place 'as a matter of urgency';
  • Ensuring all children in care have initial health assessments;
  • Make sure early help for families is targeted effectively, so they receive appropriate support when a need is first identified.

Jenni Cooke, the council's service director for children, families and learning said staff within the children's services were shocked at the report.

Asked whether it would have a detrimental effect on staff morale, she said: "We have spoken to the managers and there is shock [at the report], because a lot of the outcomes for young people are good, so there is shock.

"However, [our social workers] are committed to the authority and to Darlington and they work well in the community.

"So, while there will be an initial shock, I am certain that they will continue to give their all."

Ms Burns outlined measures the council would take in an effort to improve its children's services department.

Three full-time posts are being created - an additional practice supervisor to help oversee and support social workers and two data officers and analysts to assist with the implementation of a new £1.6m computer system for performance reporting and management, which had been announced prior to the publication of this report and will go live in April.

She added: "We were aware of the shortcomings with the computer system, which is why members had already agreed to invest £1.6m in improving it, it's not the easiest system to use.

"We are aware of some issues with [staff] performance, with additional support, supervision and training required in some areas.

"There are not any great surprises in what Ofsted has found."

Although Ofsted has not required it in its recommendations, the council is to set up an improvement board, which will provide councillors with regular progress reports on the planned improvements.

Asked whether a public apology was necessary, Ms Burns replied: "I am proud of the things we do supporting children and families, and I clearly regret that there are elements of our process that can be better.

"There are always things that we can do better and we are focussed on improving services and will continue to do so.

"There is no crisis in children's services in Darlington, but there are some important improvements to be made."

Two thirds of care leavers in Darlington go on to employment, education or training, well above the national average of 45 per cent.

Ms Burns added: "All children identified as needing a Child in Need or Child Protection Plan have one.

"We have worked with more than 270 families as part of the Troubled Families programme and our fostering team has been recognised at national level for its work identifying new placements for children for whom that is the right outcome.

"As we implement these planned changes, we would like to offer reassurance to our partners, staff and the people of Darlington that children who we are working with are safe and secure and get the help they need to get the best start in life."

'DEVASTATING NEWS'

The Northern Echo:

THE education watchdog's criticism of children's services at Darlington Borough Council is "devastating news" for youngsters in the authority's care, a senior councillor has said.

Heather Scott, pictured above, is leader of the Conservative opposition at the Town Hall and a member of the corporate parenting panel, which reports to Cyndi Hughes, the council's cabinet member for children and young people.

Like her Labour counterpart, leader of the council Bill Dixon, Cllr Scott said she was shocked and disappointed by the report, which branded the council's children's services as inadequate.

She said: "The Conservative group will want to look into this issue in more detail, to see where and why these problems have occurred.

"It is devastating news for looked-after children, who have to have confidence in us as councillors and the officers that deal with them.

"It is dreadful, it needs investigating to see where the failings are and how they will be put right."

Cllr Dixon, himself a former social worker, said: "I know from my own personal and professional experience that safeguarding children is an incredibly complex and difficult task.

"Our staff do a tremendous job, working with our partners to make sure children are safe and assessed.

"I am disappointed in this report but I give my assurance that these issues will be put right.

"Ofsted are not appointing a commissioner and there are no urgent recommendations we need to implement. "Although Ofsted have not instructed us to establish an improvement board I have decided to set one up anyway, this shows clearly that we are taking action to safeguard children in our care and I will extend an invitation to Ofsted to come back to see the improvements we are making."

Cllr Scott said she hoped either herself or other senior Conservative councillors would be invited to become members of the improvement board.

She said: "The board needs to be independent and I am sure a lot of the staff members concerned will be very worried about that as well."

Council chief executive Ada Burns said she was consulting with the Local Government Association on the appropriate membership for the board.