7 June 2010
BARNSLEY is leading the way in keeping children safe from harm.
Following an unannounced Ofsted inspection Barnsley was found to be the only council in South Yorkshire with no priority areas for action identified.
The inspection, which took place over two days in May, scrutinised the contact, referral and assessment arrangements of the children’s services department and their impact on minimising any child abuse and neglect.
Many strengths were identified, including the low turnover of staff and “stable and well experienced teams carrying manageable and carefully monitored caseloads.”
Managers at all levels were found to be very accessible and provide good quality support to staff.
Good access to in-house and external training was praised, with inspectors reporting that it is: “of a high quality and targeted towards development needs and priority areas of work.”
They also stated that: “Continuous investment over the past year in performance management systems now provides clear comparative and timely information for managers which has contributed to improvements in the delivery of services.”
Inspectors identified satisfactory practice in child protection investigations and commented on how they are conducted in a timely way. Crucially they confirmed that steps are taken to ensure that children and young people are protected.
Ofsted also identified a few areas for development, which will be specifically considered in any future inspections.
Edna Sutton, Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families. Welcomed the report, saying:
“The findings of this inspection are a credit to everyone involved in safeguarding children and young people in Barnsley. We are very pleased that our continuing efforts have been recognised and that our commitment has been assured by the independent inspection results.
“However, there is no room for complacency. We take seriously our responsibilities to children and families across Barnsley and, together with partners in the Children’s Trust, we will actively implement the development points to continue to improve service.”
ENDS
