Children's services in Luton get 'good' rating from Ofsted
Improvements in Luton Borough Council’s children’s services have lifted its overall effectiveness rating to ‘good’, according to a regulator’s report published today (Tuesday).
Greater stability from “a positive working culture” was identified by a team of Ofsted inspectors, which visited the department from January 19 to 30.
After its last detailed examination in 2022, the local authority’s children’s services were rated ‘requires improvement to be good’.
But Luton was announced as a families first for children (FFC) pathfinder in April 2024, since when leaders have reconfigured services into locality-based family help services, explained the report.
This has resulted in “improved, seamless and timely support for children and their families, who require help and protection”.
Other ‘good’ ratings were for “the experiences and progress of children in care, the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families, and the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection”.
However, the experiences and progress of care leavers ‘requires improvement to be good’, stated the report.
“While there’s more to do to improve the services for care leavers to ensure they receive a consistently good service, much of this is under way. However, it’s too soon yet to see the full impact.
“The organisational change has been devised and managed well, as leaders work effectively with partners to provide a continuity of service for children and their families throughout the transition.
“With significant work undertaken, services for children in care and care leavers have improved. Leaders have provided a positive working culture and have worked diligently to attract and retain staff.
“More stability has been created as a result, meaning children and their families have culturally informed, consistent workers to whom they can relate.
“These leaders also have a thorough understanding of the quality and impact of their services on families,” said His Majesty’s Inspector Rebecca Dubbins.
She listed three areas which need to improve:
- the quality of supervision support plans and the oversight of children subject to supervision orders;
- consistency in the timely approval and support of kinship carers;
- and the quality and consistency of support and pathway planning for care leavers.
“Care leavers mostly benefit from relationships with personal advisers (PAs) who show care, compassion and sensitive practice, but not all care leavers are allocated a PA before they leave care.
“Workers in the family help service understand the help and support children and their families need. This is based on thorough assessments, which are timely and completed to a high standard.
“Children referred to the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) receive a timely and appropriate response. Workers and managers consult with a variety of partner agencies located in the MASH to ensure information is shared and that families are consulted about the support they would like.
“If concerns for children escalate or if children are at immediate risk, workers identify this and consult promptly with their managers and lead child protection practitioners (LCPPs),” added her report. “LCPPs or team managers will convene and chair strategy discussions with a wide range of relevant partners to understand risks to children and how these can be mitigated.
“Child protection enquiries are comprehensive, stipulate the needs of children and their families, and articulate risks well. When children are considered at risk of significant harm, child protection conferences are convened promptly and focus on the risks to children and how those can be reduced.”