Inspections make sure our statutory services meet basic standards of quality and safety ensuring the best possible support for those that require the use of those services. All inspections operate under an inspection framework to ensure a consistent approach. In 2021-22 there were two significant inspections carried out on two of the three key statutory agencies.
The OfSTED inspection of Leeds Local Authority Childrens Cervices, undertaken in 2022, highlighted that children benefit from ‘consistently strong and creative social work delivered to an exceptionally high standard. And that they ‘harness effective partnership working’ (Inspection of Leeds local authority children’s services)
OfSTED grade four areas within their inspection process:
- The impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families was rated as Outstanding
- The experiences and progress of children who need help and protection was rated as Good
- The experiences and progress of children in care and care leavers was rated as Outstanding
- Overall effectiveness was rated Outstanding
There were 2 recommendations set out in the report:
- Contingency planning in children’s written plans
- Consistent decision-making for strategy discussions
An action plan has been developed and progress of this is being monitored through the LCYPP meetings. It was noted by the LSCP Executive that in the Ofsted focussed visit inspection 2021 the recommendation highlighting the need for partners to engage more with strategy discussions, However it was noted in Inspection of Leeds local authority
children’s services in 2022 that multi agency attendance at strategy discussions was good.
The Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) December 2021 Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection assess the performance of all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
The inspection highlighted that the force has effective governance in place to protect vulnerable people. It highlighted good examples of preventative measures to divert young people from becoming involved in serious and organised crime. Well-established child vulnerable exploitation teams provide support to children and young people at risk of child sexual exploitation and refer them into local multi-agency pathways. It found that the force also plays an active role with partners in intelligence-gathering and disrupting perpetrators of exploitation.
In addition, the Inspectors found officers and staff working together in partnership with other agencies, and evidence of positive working relationships and information-sharing.
To further strengthen multiagency information sharing and decision making, the police will now attend and contribute to weekly Front Door review meetings which considers contacts made to the Front Door and quality assures decision making and information provided by partners.