Ofsted have praised Kirklees Council for providing good quality support to vulnerable children and young people.

A three-week inspection of Children’s Services ended with a judgement of ‘good’, confirming the excellent progress made for the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection, the experiences and progress of children in care, the experiences and progress of care leavers and the impact of leaders on social work practice.

The report highlights a wide range of strengths, along with areas for development which the council was already taking steps to address.

Ofsted described the leadership team as established and confident, with committed staff and strong corporate and political support which has driven improvement.

There is a range of effective, bespoke services that are meeting local need and making a tangible difference to children’s experiences.

The inspectors said:

  • Social workers carefully consider children’s experiences and history. They see children quickly and listen carefully to their views;
  • There is a strong emphasis on helping children to remain safely within their family network (instead of going into care), where possible. This is the ethos and aspiration of leaders and is shared throughout the workforce;
  • Children at risk of exploitation benefit from a strong multi-agency response. This helps to reduce the risk to children and disrupt the activities of exploiters;
  • Disabled children receive a range of effective services and comprehensive packages of support;
  • Social workers know their children and families well. They undertake sensitive direct work to help them understand their world;
  • Children in care live in stable foster placements that meet their needs to a good standard;
  • Young people who are care leavers spoke with genuine warmth and affection about the support they receive. They benefit from enduring and consistent relationships;
  • There is a strong offer to newly qualified social workers;
  • Staff morale is high, staff feel valued at every level and they like working in Kirklees;
  • The culture created by leaders has ensured there is a workforce of skilled practitioners, who are highly committed to children in Kirklees. Many practitioners have chosen to remain working for Kirklees for long durations.

Clr Viv Kendrick, Cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “Social care teams support some of the most vulnerable children, young people and families in our district, which comes with great responsibility.

“To be assessed as ‘good’ by Ofsted is a really pleasing achievement and one that has been hard earned by every single person involved.

“This report shows our huge, collective commitment to protecting children, acting in their best interests and helping them to thrive, no matter what their circumstances.

“Kirklees Children’s Services have made tremendous progress in recent years, but there is always more to do and we will continue striving to be even better.”

Clr Carole Pattison, leader of Kirklees Council, said: “One of this council’s biggest priorities is to deliver the best possible outcomes for our children.

“We want children and families to be safe, healthy and happy. For children who are in care, or in need of extra help and protection, the right support is even more essential.

“The pressures on social care have grown enormously in the last few years, both locally and nationally, but Ofsted have seen high standards of practice here in Kirklees.

“Our children deserve the very best and we aim to put their voices at the heart of all the work we do.”

Tom Brailsford, executive director for children and families, said: “I’m delighted that the dedication and commitment of our staff has been recognised. I’m so proud of everything they do.

“Working with children and families can be challenging as well as rewarding, but we have a talented workforce who truly care about the support we provide and always ask ‘would this be good enough for my own child?’

“There are still improvements to be made and, as Ofsted noted, we had identified those areas before the inspection and had already put plans in place.

“We also receive great support from partner organisations, including schools. Working together across Kirklees, our aim is for every child to fulfil their potential.”

The inspection took place in July and was the first in Kirklees since 2019. Kirklees Children’s Services has been turned around since being rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2016 when inspectors found “serious and widespread failures” that left “some children not being protected.”