Herefordshire Council plan to improve failing children's services

Herefordshire Council was given the lowest possible Ofsted rating of inadequate for its children's services

A council has set out how it plans to improve its inadequate children's services.

Herefordshire council was found to be failing to protect children in its care by an Ofsted report in September.

Children's Commissioner Eleanor Brazil was appointed to expedite improvements, and the council given three months to prepare a plan.

"Change is happening at pace across the service," said director of children's services Darryl Freeman.

The 10-point draft improvement plan is to be discussed by the children's scrutiny committee on 13 December and the council's cabinet the following day.

It lays out the council's priorities in response to Ofsted's findings, which include a more stable workforce, better identification of children at risk and improved management oversight.

Ofsted inspected Herefordshire's children's services for three weeks in July

A further priority to improve SEND services has been included in the plan, the council said following a peer review undertaken by the Local Government Association (LGA) in October.

"A huge amount of work" and addition of five extra social work teams in response to the Ofsted findings had already led to positive results, Mr Freeman said.

"That work has seen a reduction in average caseloads to less than a half of what they were a year ago," he added.

"[And] a significant reduction in the rate at which children come into our care and a tighter grip on child protection processes."

Councillor Diana Toynbee says the focus on improving children's services is "relentless"

Diana Toynbee, cabinet member for children and families, added she was pleased to have the plan in place.

"The council is tackling long-standing issues and our focus on improving children's lives is relentless," she added.

Children's Commissioner Eleanor Brazil was appointed in September to help the council speed up improvements to the service.

She is due to report to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan by the end of the year.