A new report from Ofsted has praised Leicestershire County Council’s children’s services following a recent ‘focus visit’ inspection.
Visiting in Early May 2023, inspectors looked at the county council’s services and support for children in their care.
The report recognised that social work practice with children in care, including those with a disability, is consistently child-focused and it impacts positively on their life experiences and their physical and emotional well-being.
The report highlights the council’s ethos to keep children within their family network where possible. This in-built ethos within the team is having a positive effect on children who are able to live with family members, rather than enter the care system.
Praising the dedicated social work teams, Ofsted inspectors also found that they visit children regularly, with visits moulded around a child’s needs. One child speaking to Ofsted described that her social worker had saved her life several times, whilst another said that the support has helped them to both grow and live independently.
Inspectors also complimented the strong political and corporate support within Leicestershire County Council, as well as the senior leadership team, which “remains resolute in its commitment to improve the lives of children in Leicestershire.”
This is a fantastic result that highlights the continual hard work that’s taking place within our children’s services teams, and in particular the services and support we provide for those children in the care of the local authority, and it’s great that Ofsted have recognised this.
Our ultimate priority is the safety and wellbeing of our county’s children and young people, and this report shows how incredibly committed our social workers and senior leaders are at achieving this objective, and placing children and young people at the heart of everything they do.
Person:Councillor Deborah Taylor, lead member for children and family services