Multi-agency arrangements for child protection to face no-notice inspections
Ofsted and other watchdogs will work together from next year on carrying out no-notice inspections of multi-agency arrangements for child protection, under proposals put out for consultation today.
Currently, Ofsted can only examine in depth the performance of a local authority when it carries out unannounced inspections. Its remit does not extend to scrutiny of health, police, probation and other services.
The proposals would see Ofsted work with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and, where necessary, Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.
The new arrangements would see unannounced inspections carried out over a two-week period, with the inspection team looking at all local services responsible for protecting children. These include social care, health, education, police, probation and the criminal justice system.
The inspectors will examine the effectiveness of how the agencies work in partnership. The scope of inspection will also include examination of how effective the agencies are at identifying, helping and protecting children at risk of harm, as well as protecting children who have been formally referred to social care.
The four inspection judgements will be:
- Overall effectiveness of multi-agency work to protect children and young people
- The effectiveness of help and protection
- The quality of practice
- Leadership, governance and partnerships.
Ofsted has also launched a separate consultation on a new programme of inspections of services for looked after children.
This would see the watchdog work alongside the CQC on unannounced inspections, with the inspectors talking directly to children who are in care and care leavers, carers, adopters, practitioners and staff, and, “where possible and appropriate”, birth families.
The focus of the inspection will be on:
- the effectiveness of local authorities as corporate parents
- the provision of health services for children who are looked after
- the quality of professional practice, and
- the impact of the care on children and young people.
Ofsted said particular attention would be given to evaluation of outcomes for children in out-of-area placements.
The inspectors will make a judgment on “how effectively the local authority achieves the right form of permanent and stable future for every individual child in its care”.
This proposed new programme is to replace the separate inspections for looked after children’s services, local authority adoption agencies and local authority fostering services.
John Goldup, Deputy Chief Inspector at Ofsted, said: “We are launching two very important consultations today that will significantly change the way we inspect and hold agencies to account for the quality of service they provide for children needing protection and for children in care.
“Child protection is everybody’s business – it can’t just be left to local authorities. I am really pleased that inspectorates have been able to come together to make sure we can effectively scrutinise the performance of the whole system. These unannounced and joined up inspections will, I believe, have real potential for improving the protection of children in this country.”
Goldup said the new inspections of services for children in care would focus on ensuring that the most careful decisions were made about children’s placements, their safety and welfare were paramount at all times, and that authorities and providers worked together effectively to share information and make sure children are well cared for.
The consultation for joint inspection of multi-agency arrangements will run until 2 October, with a view to implementation of the proposals by June 2013. The consultation on inspecting services for looked after children and care leavers will run until 18 September 2012. This new regime is expected to begin in April 2013.
Philip King, Director of regulatory development at CQC, said: “CQC is delighted to be taking part in the new multi-inspectorate inspection programme of child protection services. This joint approach will review the child's journey from needing to receiving help and will examine in detail the effectiveness of the local partnership in providing early help and keeping children safe.
“CQC will also be working jointly with Ofsted to inspect health services and health outcomes for children and young people who are looked after. It is hoped that the external scrutiny provided by these inspections will identify strengths and weaknesses in local arrangements and contribute to improvements for this group of children and young people, who often have the worst health outcomes and are some of the most vulnerable within our society.”
More information on the consultations can be found on the Ofsted website.