Ofsted tells Bucks Council to improve help for children at risk but says care ‘good’

The watchdog made the judgment after inspecting the unitary authority’s children’s services in January and February.

Its report was published on Wednesday, having been delayed – as per Ofsted protocol – until after the May 1 elections, which saw the Conservatives lose control of the council.

Ofsted said the council had made progress in assessments and private fostering since the last full inspection of its children’s services in 2021.

However, it said the authority still needed to make some improvements, including for young people leaving care.

In a statement, the council’s outgoing leader Martin Tett said: “We are pleased to hear that the experience and progress of our children in care is good, and they feel settled and safe where they live.”

Cllr Tett also pointed to Ofsted’s ‘particularly positive feedback’ on the council’s fostering and adoption service, while acknowledging criticisms.

He added: “Our focus will be on enhancing management oversight, improving service quality for children at risk from neglect, refining transition planning for disabled children, addressing pathway plans for care leavers, providing better support for care leavers aged 21+, and increasing the engagement of children and young people in the corporate parenting board.”

A ‘detailed improvement plan’ to tackle these issues will be presented to cabinet – the council’s decision-making executive – in September.

Ofsted said the experiences and progress of children in care was ‘good’, praising the council’s ‘strong’ service for children who are at risk of going missing and exploitation and ‘exceptional support’ for children’s mental health needs.

Its report also found children in care in Bucks were ‘enabled to maintain relationships with friendship groups and significant adults’, and that social workers understood children’s needs, building positive relationships with them.

However, the watchdog said the council needed to improve several areas of its service for it to be rated ‘good’.

These included the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families, the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection, the experiences and progress of care leavers and overall effectiveness.

Ofsted said children aged 16 and 17 who presented as homeless received a ‘coordinated response’ but were not routinely being offered advocacy or having their rights explained, and in some cases waited ‘too long’ for appropriate accommodation.

For young people leaving care, Ofsted said most older children were ‘not enabled to develop a meaningful and trusting relationship’ with their personal adviser before they reach 18, with this transition ‘not well planned or well-paced’.

It also found some older care leavers had been left in ‘difficult circumstances without the appropriate support’.

Ofsted said there was political and corporate support for children’s services at the council, with the senior leadership team having worked well with partner agencies to progress what was an ‘isolated’ service to a more engaging one that was better equipped to help vulnerable children.

But while praising the council’s senior leadership team, Ofsted also said there were areas ‘where the pace of change has been too slow’.

It added: “This is particularly seen in services for care leavers and the involvement of care experienced children and young people in corporate parenting and service development.”