By Charlotte Webster
Luton’s children’s safeguarding has been downgraded to ‘inadequate’ following an Ofsted investigation.
An inspection of Luton council found children at risk of or exposed to harm received inconsistent services, with thresholds being unevenly applied from the front door onwards. Ofsted lamented the decline of some services for children since their last inspection. Widespread and serious weaknesses mean were preventing too many children in need and in need of protection from receiving the help they need at the right time. Those widespread failures meant some children are exposed to potential or actual harm for too long and are not appropriately protected
Limited management capacity, exacerbated by changes in senior leadership and increased demand, has contributed to the decline, Ofsted said. The identification and response to risk and need in the multi-agency safeguarding was poor and needed improvement. Ofsted added that the clarity of purpose and quality of practice during pre-proceedings was also poor.
Also inadequate was the quality of child in need and child protection plans, and the timeliness of initial health assessments for children in care., the regulator said. Child protection planning was patchy, and of variable effectiveness, with social workers sometimes slow to respond to cases in which concerns persisted or risks increased, leaving children in harmful situations.
“There is too much emphasis on diverting these children away from statutory intervention, without an assessment of their needs or of whether they would benefit from being looked after by the local authority,” Ofsted said. Luton Council was also criticised for slow completion and impact of return home interviews for children missing from care.
More damning was the finding that the quality of plans for children in need of help and protection is too variable. The regulator said some have too many actions and lack clarity. This is confusing for families and dilutes the focus of the professionals involved.
Luton Council received praise for their early help team and response to children at risk of radicalisation, but the negative findings highlight the need for the Council to make urgent changes to improve its quality.