Government to appoint help for ‘inadequate’ children’s services

The government will appoint advisers from Partners in Practice authorities to help improve children’s services in an ‘inadequate’-rated council.

Representatives from Islington and Lincolnshire children’s services will be brought in to Tower Hamlets following a negative inspection published in April, a Department for Education direction said today.

The ‘intervention advisers’ will provide practice advice and support to the council in all areas of practice rated ‘inadequate’ by inspectors.

They will also carry out periodic six-monthly reviews assessing improvements.

“These reviews may cover but are not exclusive to practice; performance; culture; leadership, management and governance; workforce and management oversight; early help; and the Local Safeguarding Children Board,” the direction said.

Islington and Lincolnshire children’s services are part of the government’s Partners in Practice programme. Established in 2015, the programme works with the best-rated children’s services in the country to drive improvements in the sector.

Islington and Lincolnshire’s services are both rated ‘good’.

Ofsted inspectors said Tower Hamlets failed to meet “basic social worker standards” and the local authority had “failed to ensure professional accountability”.