Inspectors have praised children’s services in Ealing for a determination to continually improve the quality of what it provides to children and families.
The inspection, which took place in April and May this year, assessed the quality of services for children such as social care, fostering and adoption and support for children with additional needs and disabilities. Inspectors interviewed staff as well as children in care and care leavers to capture their views. They also looked at progress since the last inspection in 2019.
Overall, they rated children’s services as ‘good’, an improvement from the previous inspection in 2019 which said the service ‘requires improvement.’
Inspectors commented: “Corporate leaders, including the leader of the council, the chief executive officer and the director of children’s services, share a determination to continually improve the quality of service provided to children and their families. There has been a concerted effort to drive performance and practice standards across children’s services.”
They found that social work caseloads across the organisation are ‘well managed and enable practitioners to build strong relationships with children and their families.’ Social workers were described as ‘tenacious in their efforts to establish working relationships with parents’ and that records of their visits are skilfully and sensitively written to the child.’
A recruitment drive and support put in place for social workers, including a social worker academy, have increased levels of permanent staff in the service and encouraged them to stay longer. Several staff told inspectors that they had returned to work in Ealing as an authority of choice after experiencing working in other authorities.
Well supported
Inspectors found that disabled children are ‘well supported by social workers who have an in-depth understanding about their health needs, methods of communication and how best to support children to be able to voice their views about the care they receive.’
They also said that disabled children in care receive ‘highly tailored and carefully considered support from practitioners who know them and their families well.’
Foster carers were positive about the support they receive from social workers, even out of hours.
Attendance levels at the borough’s schools are rising and persistent absence levels are falling in schools.
‘Proud’
Council leader Peter Mason said: “This is a hugely positive achievement for our children’s services and reflects our ongoing determination to ensure that every child and young person in Ealing has a fair start where they lead a happy and healthy life.
“I’m particularly proud that inspectors highlighted the achievements of our care leavers, pointing out the impressive numbers of them who go on to university and further education. We take our responsibility as corporate parents to children and young people in care very seriously. It’s really heartening that so many of them spoke so positively with the inspectors about the care and support they’ve received and that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are warmly welcomed and are quickly made to feel safe and supported.”
Councillor Josh Blacker, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for a fairer start, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in our children’s services for their hard work and determination to give the best start to children and young people. We know there is more work to be done and have plans in place to ensure every child gets the best possible support.”
Find out more about fostering and adoption in Ealing.
