Criticised Sunderland children's services now outstanding

Sunderland City Council handed over responsibility for services to Together for Children in 2017

Children's services deemed inadequate have improved so much in just over two years they have been rated outstanding.

In 2018 Ofsted ruled Sunderland's care was inadequate for the second time in three years, calling for urgent action and seven months later the needs of at-risk children were still not being met.

A recent inspection found the service had been "transformed" and was "making a real difference to children's lives".

The council said it "draws a line under our difficult history".

Ofsted noted that social work practice was of "consistently high quality and relentless in significantly improving the experience of children and young people".

The report praised the implementation of a nationally-recognised model of social work, which resulted in children's needs being "addressed proactively" and ensured the right level of help and protection when needed.

Agency workers had been reduced from167 in 2016-17 to just one, with the recruitment of a permanent workforce providing continuity, reducing social worker's caseloads and cutting spending by more than £7m.

It was also highlighted that the improvement in quality was even more impressive as it had been achieved during the pandemic.

'Significant milestone'

Sunderland Council handed provision for children's services to the newly-created Together for Children voluntary trust in April 2017.

The company is owned by the council, but it has its own board of directors who set the direction of the company, supervise the management of the business and hold the management team to account.

Jill Colbert, chief executive of Together for Children and director of children's services for the city council, described it as a "turning point for children's services and for families".

She said: "It draws a line under our difficult history and celebrates the incredible work our staff have done to deliver outstanding services to children."

Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, paid tribute to the "drive and determination" of all those who had made it happen.

He added: "There is still work to do but this is a significant milestone in our continuing drive to secure the very best future for our children and young people."