Children don’t want fewer inspections

Most children do not want the frequency of service inspections to depend on past performance or the presence of problems.

In a new report from the children’s rights director, almost three-fifths of the children surveyed said settings should continue to be inspected as often as previously.

This goes against the government’s plans for inspectors to visit settings that are doing well less often, and to more frequently check children’s services where they know there are problems.

The survey by Roger Morgan, who works for the Commission for Social Care Inspection, finds children were split on whether there should be separate inspectors for education and social services or the same set checking both services.

A single children’s inspectorate will take responsibility for inspecting both services from 2007.

Morgan spoke to 90 children in settings such as children’s homes and residential special schools.