Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
‘Serious failings’ continue in Birmingham’s children services
The latest Ofsted inspection report has rated Birmingham City Council's children's services as ‘inadequate’, marking no change in rating since 2008.
The 40-page report, which highlighted ‘serious and widespread failings’, identified too many children as ‘being at risk of immediate harm’, but said that the council was making ‘important steps forward’.
Criticisms highlighted the ‘inconsistent’ work to tackle the sexual exploitation of children, with services for children missing from home or care deemed poor and disabled children in need of help having to wait too long for support.
Additionally, referrals for domestic abuse were found to be ‘high’ at more than 3,000 per month, leaving social workers battling a backlog of 401 cases.
Ofsted added that the multi-agency hub which brings together agencies like social workers, police, and health professionals to make referrals about children's cases, was not being effectively managed, leaving children unable to receive the right services.
Councillor Brigid Jones said: “When we began our three-year improvement journey we said that we would remain inadequate at this stage. However there are areas that have improved. I see this as a positive report in the context of where we expected to be.”
Latest News
18/04/2024 - 10:19
Pensioners in five Scottish local authorities will be the first to be eligible for a new disability benefit (subject to parliamentary approval of r
18/04/2024 - 09:41
Residents and visitors to Brecon in Wales recently took part in the world's first full-town digital deposit return scheme.
17/04/2024 - 11:58
Applications have opened for a £1.3 million competition to 'transform the transport sector, grow the economy and inspire innovation'.
17/04/2024 - 10:38
The first of Nottingham City Transport’s new electric buses entered service last week (11 April).
16/04/2024 - 10:40
The Scottish Government has announced that more than £9 million will be made available over the next three years to support social care.
Company Focus
Just Lanyards is a subsidiary name of Gifts 2 Impress Limited, who have been trading for over 25 years, we therefore pride ourselves in having endless experience covering all aspects of the promotional merchandise industry.
Event Diary
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
Supplier Profiles
At GeoEnergy Design, we're on a mission to disrupt the traditional way heating and cooling ha
Latest Features
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.
