Ofsted Gives York’s Children’s Services an Outstanding Rating in All Areas
York’s services for children and young people have been given the highest rating of Outstanding by independent inspectors, Ofsted. The inspectors evaluated four key areas of the council’s work, including support for children who need help and protection, children in care, care leavers, and leadership.
The inspection, which took place in February, resulted in each area being rated as Outstanding, leading to an overall rating of Outstanding for York’s Children’s Services. This puts York in the top seven per cent of local authorities for children’s services in the country.
This is a significant improvement from the last inspection in 2022, when each of the areas was rated as Requires Improvement. York is the first local authority in the country to have moved from a rating below Good to Outstanding in all areas in a single inspection cycle.
The inspectors credited the council’s leadership for the significant improvement, noting the “relentless drive” of senior leaders and their aligned core values and commitment to children, young people, and families. They also recognized the council’s ambition and determination to provide outstanding services and create an environment for improvement, centered around putting children first.
The council’s commitment to recruiting and maintaining a stable workforce was also highlighted, with inspectors noting that this has resulted in positive experiences and progress for children. The inspectors also praised the council’s efforts to ensure that children’s views and feelings are central to decisions made for them, with a focus on keeping them within their wider family networks whenever possible.
Councillor Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, expressed her delight at the recognition, giving credit to the leadership of Councillor Bob Webb, Martin Kelly as Corporate Director, and the hard work of all Children’s Services staff. She stated that this judgment shows the positive impact of everyone working together with a shared commitment to do the best for children and young people in York.
Councillor Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, emphasized the council’s dedication to supporting children and young people in York to live safe, healthy lives and reach their full potential. He praised the “fantastic team” in York and their commitment to achieving the best for every child, young person, and family they work with.
Martin Kelly OBE, the council’s Corporate Director of Children and Young People, expressed his immense pride in the Children’s Services teams and their colleagues across the council. He credited their dedication and commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children, young people, and families in York for making this Outstanding rating possible. He also highlighted their resilience and desire to continually improve outcomes for the young people they work with.
Ofsted’s National Director for Regulation and Social Care, Yvette Stanley, commended the determination of everyone working in York to make a positive difference for children and their families. She acknowledged the rare achievement of moving from a rating of Requires Improvement to Outstanding in all areas and highlighted the team’s success in creating an environment for improvement that always prioritizes children.
This Outstanding rating places York among only ten other authorities in the country, all of which have received an Outstanding rating in all areas for their Children’s Services. The full report is available on the Ofsted website.
This news story was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/.
