Scandal-hit council that fails children

TOWER Hamlets council was criticised only months ago by inspectors who found children were left in ‘situations of harm’ for too long.

Its children’s services department was branded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted in April. In their report, inspectors warned there were ‘widespread and serious failures’ which had left children in ‘neglectful and abusive situations’ for too long.

They said chief executive Will Tuckley and the department director Debbie Jones had ‘insufficient scrutiny’, meaning they ‘did not know about the extent of the failures to protect children’. The watchdog’s findings were so concerning that following its investigation in January, immediate action was needed in many cases to ensure children were safe.

Inspectors were also forced to order an urgent review into a number of areas, including private fostering arrangements.

They found superficial assessments failed to consider whether children had been trafficked or abandoned, and basic safeguarding checks were not conducted in most cases.

They also warned that ‘operational social work practice to tackle sexual exploitation is weak’.

Ofsted last gave the department a clean bill of health in 2012. However, over the last few years there has been instability at the helm.

In May 2015, Alan Wood, a former president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, was drafted in as part of a team to ensure good governance.

Mrs Jones was appointed interim director in July 2015 and then permanent director in March 201 .

Ofsted also criticised local politicians sitting on the council for failing to spot what was going on.

In 2015, the Tower Hamlets council was stripped by the government of many of its powers after its former mayor, Lutfur Rahman, was found guilty of corrupt and illegal electoral practices.

An election court found Rahman ‘cynically perverted’ the religious feeling of his Muslim community in the area and silenced his critics with accusations of racism and Islamophobia.

Many blame the failings identified in the Ofsted report on a merger of adults’ services and children’s services in 2013 under Rahman.

Mr Tuckley said in April: ‘Debbie Jones and I take full responsibility for this Ofsted report and will be making it an absolute priority to improve the service.

‘We have found more and more problems with the service and have made improvements, but they have not been fast or comprehensive enough.’

According to the draft accounts for 201 -17, Mrs Jones earned £139,5 8 last year while Mr Tuckley earned £227, 59 including pension contributions of £30, 23.

In total, there were 31 senior leaders earning £100,000 or more – with seven earning £150,000 or more.

‘Neglectful and abusive’