Stoke-on-Trent City Council has restated its commitment to making lasting improvements to services for children and families.
It follows a recent Ofsted inspection, which focused on how well the council is supporting the city’s most vulnerable children.
The inspection, which took place in May, found that senior leaders “have a shared understanding of the main challenges faced across the city in improving the lives of their most vulnerable children.”
Inspectors rated the overall service as ‘Requires improvement to be good’ - with the experiences and progress of children in care rated ‘good’.
This maintains a similar rating as the previous review in 2022, but follows significant progress since the service was judged ‘Inadequate’ in 2019.
Earlier this year, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed consistent progress and lifted the government intervention that had been in place since the 2019 inspection.
In their report published today (Tuesday 15 July), Ofsted inspectors noted that, despite several leadership changes since 2022, the city had acted on key recommendations from the last inspection – including improvements in child protection planning and private fostering arrangements from the previous inspection.
They praised the work of Family Hubs, the early help assessment process and the work of the reunification team, while also identifying areas for further improvement - including how the service supports 16- and 17-year-old children who present as homeless, and the transition planning for older children in care.
The Inspection report highlighted that Virtual School as a key a strength, noting that children make clear progress from the moment they enter care – not just academically but also emotionally, socially and culturally. They also praised the workforce, describing them as very positive about working for Stoke-on-Trent, with strong local connections and loyalty to the area.
Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children’s services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We take onboard the findings of the latest inspection. While the overall judgment remains Requires Improvement to be Good, it is clear that real and lasting progress has been made since 2019. Strong foundations are now in place for further improvement.
“That said, we know some areas need more consistent delivery. We fully accept Ofsted’s findings and will continue to focus on improving outcomes for children across the city. It’s clear that we need to keep working to deliver the consistently high-quality support that all children and young people should be able to rely on.
“I want to thank all our dedicated staff and partners who continue to work tirelessly to make a real difference. Our goal remains unchanged: to make sure that every child in Stoke-on-Trent grows up safe, supported and able to thrive.”
The city council will now develop a refreshed improvement plan in response to the inspection findings and will work closely with all partners and frontline staff to deliver rapid progress.
The full report can be found at:
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