Keep the kids safe

Peterborough has a pretty appalling track record on protecting its vulnerable children. From Rikki Neave, the little boy from Welland who was murdered in 1994, to Tyler Whelan who suffered a similar fate at the hands and feet of his evil stepfather 17 years later in 2011 in Paston.

Social services failed both little boys. There have been other black marks too.

A string of cases where children were left to live in squalor lead to the ousting of the then chairman of social services in 1999.

And then there were critical Ofsted reports that culminated in September 2011 with the damning indictment that Peterborough City Council was failing to safeguard vulnerable youngsters. A head rolled in the shape of social services director John Richards who resigned in the wake of the report.

Cllr Sheila Scott, the cabinet member for children’s services is still in post. She has toughed it out, or brazened it out, depending on your point of view.

Now a new Ofsted report has said the situation has improved and the council’s protection of children is now ranked “adequate’’.

Previously, it was ranked “inadequate’’ although presmuably that is only because Of sted don’t have a ranking entitled “complete shambles’’.

Since that terrible report the council has thrown money ( quite rightly) at the problem. An extra 25 social workers have been employed, a new computer system installed and a £ 1,000 a day troubleshooter was parachuted in to save the day.

Progress, it has now been confirmed, has been made, but let’s not get the bunting out just yet.

The service is ranked “adequate’’ which by Ofsted’s definition is “a service that meets minimum requirements’’.

I don’t believe in kicking a man when he’s staggered back to his knees but the key word there is “minimum’’.

While it should be acknowledged that the council has improved the service, indeed it has made a big step in the right direction, when it comes to protecting vulnerable children no one should be satisfied with achieving a minimum standard.

“Adequate’’ whatever Ofsted says is not good enough.