Troubled children's service improving, says Ofsted

North Northamptonshire Council's children's services have improved according to Ofsted

A borough's children's care service that had previously been struggling has improved, according to inspectors.

Ofsted carried out a visit to North Northamptonshire's children's services at the beginning of October, to examine the arrangements for care leavers aged 18-25.

The service is delivered by Northamptonshire Children's Trust (NCT) which was rated as "requires improvement to be good" in 2022.

Ofsted inspectors found the service for those leaving the trust's care had "significantly improved", but more work was needed.

Inspectors examined the preparation and support given to the young people to transition them into adulthood, and the service's ability to keep in touch with them.

The service's support offered to former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children was also examined.

Inspectors in their report noted that children worked with personal advisers "well in advance of their 18th birthday", which helped lead to "meaningful relationships" which lasted years ahead of them leaving the care system.

A small number of children, however, were found to have left the service when "further work with them was still required or should have been offered".

Processes to prevent this occurring again have been put in place, the report said.

Northamptonshire Children's Trust is located at One Angel Square in Northampton

The report stated that support was "provided according to need, resulting in most young people making good progress towards independence".

Many of these young people were then able to successfully manage their own living tenancies.

Yet securing permanent housing for care leavers was "hampered by the poor communication and relations between the house department and care leaving service".

Another issue raised was around the care leavers hub in Northampton.

While many young people told inspectors it help provide them with a safe space, some had to travel long distances to get there.

However leaders have secured funding to open a hub in Kettering, Northamptonshire, with plans for it to be operational within 12 months, the report stated.

Some concerns were raised by inspectors around former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who had dropped out of the educational courses available to them, which would impact their future employment.

'Best possible outcome'

Julian Wooster, the chair of NCT, said it was "heartening" to hear that young people within the service felt supported by the workforce.

He added that by working with the council, the trust would be able to "take forward and implement" Ofsted recommendations to achieve the "best possible outcome" for those using the service.

Scott Edwards, North Northamptonshire Council's executive member for children, families, education and skills, said the council recognised there was "still work to be done" and it had taken on board the inspectors' feedback.

The council would provide bus passes for those travelling to the Northampton hub, he added.