Ofsted’s focus may marginalise young people

Ofsted’s primary focus on serving parents could
marginalise the welfare of vulnerable young people within the
proposed single inspectorate for children, the Commission for
Social Care Inspection has warned, writes Mithran
Samuel.

In a draft consultation response, due to be discussed by
CSCI’s board yesterday, the regulator also calls into
question the government’s wider plan to merge its
children’s function with Ofsted and its adult function with
the Healthcare Commission.

It says the 3 per cent of children receiving social care
services it inspects could get “lost” within an
inspectorate also covering education and adult learning.

The draft response adds: “The commission would suggest
– as an observation, not a criticism – that
Ofsted’s primary ‘customers’ are parents. For us
parents are critical stakeholders but the welfare of children is
paramount.”

The warning is particularly pertinent given the Department for
Education and Skills’ conception of the new inspectorate as
an “enlarged Ofsted”.

Ofsted declined to comment on CSCI’s claim, referring
Community Care to its statement on 29 July welcoming the
DfES’s consultation proposals.

The consultation on A single inspectorate for children and
learners closes on 4 November.

Draft CSCI response from www.csci.org.uk.