Children’s services exceed standards in Warwickshire
A detailed inspection of the way children’s services are run in Warwickshire has come back with a positive assessment of the county council as an organisation which has many strengths and improves outcomes for children, young people and their families.
The annual Oftsed inspection rating of all children’s services in England has been published.
It has found that Warwickshire County Council’s children’s services are ‘performing well’.
The annual assessment is a four point scale:
4 - Performs excellently - An organisation that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.
3 - Performs well - An organisation that exceeds minimum requirements
2 - Performs adequately - An organisation that meets only minimum requirements
1 - Performs poorly - An organisation that does not meet minimum requirements
Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “I’m delighted with yesterday’s announcement from Ofsted. This is independent confirmation of some excellent work going on in the county.
“For example, our fostering agency was singled out as being ‘outstanding’.
“When the national performance measures are measured against the national averages on all counts with either match the national average or we are above it.”
The Ofsted inspection report states: “The very large majority of services, settings and institutions inspected by Ofsted are good or better, with many high quality services for children who are vulnerable.
"Private and voluntary children’s homes are at least good. The local authority adoption agency is good and the local authority fostering agency is outstanding.”
Other praise was for better than average obesity rates in both children starting to school and those aged 11. Plus there was praise for the number of young people from low-income households who achieve qualifications by the age of 19.
The full report was published yesterday at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk