Improvement plan coming together following report
Council sets out how to make changes following damning verdict from watchdog
COUNCIL bosses have signed off an official response outlining what is being done to improve services for vulnerable youngsters in care settings – months after inspectors revealed ‘widespread failures’ had been found at a Barnsley children’s home.
A written statement of response to the recent findings concerning the ‘multi-agency response to risk among vulnerable children’ at the home and others within the council’s control was submitted on Tuesday.
In May, another inspection reviewed how services across Barnsley work together to identify the risk of harm in children and young people. It also looked at how the council works with them and their parents and carers so they get the ‘right support at the right time’.
The inspection was carried out by
Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
The Chronicle can reveal the response was jointly signed by Carly Speechley, executive director of children’s services for the council, chief nurse Jayne Sivakumar and Chief Superintendent Simon Wanless, who are all involved with the Barnsley Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP).
It said: “The partnership has developed this joint action plan in response to the joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to the identification of initial need and risk, in May 2022.
“Partners have started to make progress for example, they have increased the frequency of meetings, created an operational and strategic group, and are reviewing the performance data that the partnership receives.
“However, the pace of change has not always been sufficient to have a positive impact on improving children’s lives.
“To achieve consistency all agencies will implement necessary steps to ensure correct resources are in place to enable practitioners to seek and respond to the expressed wishes of children with whom they work.
“The partnership structure has been reviewed to give clear lines of reporting for escalations and oversight.
“We continue to move forward with commitment and ambition and have refreshed our structure to better deliver our priorities.”
The home, which the Chronicle cannot name, was ranked ‘inadequate’ for a second time by Ofsted following a two-day inspection in July and has been discussed by councillors at several meetings since.
Coun Trevor Cave, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services, added: “As lead member for children’s services, alongside my director of children’s services, we are absolutely accountable for ensuring transparency and we take this responsibility very seriously.
“However, before we put this information into the public domain it was important that we established the facts, and ensured that there was a robust action plan in place to address the issues raised.
“The usual reporting process for any children’s home inspection is for the report and findings to be discussed at the corporate parenting panel which is a public meeting with publicly accessible reports.
“A recent compliance visit by Ofsted confirmed that the home is making progress to address the issues raised and all compliance notices have now been lifted.”