Sefton to Keep Children's Services, but Cultural Change Needed

The government commissioner put in to see if Sefton should retain control of its Children’s Services has concluded that there is some reasonable expectation that the authority can improve after last May’s damning Ofsted inspection. 

Time is being allowed to see if the new management team can make the required improvements.

The Commissioner's findings though don’t make easy reading for the authority and are coupled with a series of stringent recommendations. Amongst the recommendations is a call for a “a cultural shift”.  

According to the Commissioner “overwhelmed” staff have “ strong culture of non-compliance which has become a custom and practice coping strategy”. (p10).  The commissioner emphasises that Sefton have some very good staff but that management has not been responsive and clear about identifying concerns. 

Parents and children though have been vocal about the absence of continuity and change of personnel.

The rates in every category of need requiring council intervention and care are higher in Sefton than the English average, the North West average and other boroughs with similar profile.  Sefton has 80% more children under child protection than the the average council.

Ofsted in May  " recognised some early indications of improvement, for example around strengthening the voice of the child, but considered these to be not yet secure or embedded.” 

The Commissioner in his report states that there is,
                  
 " clear evidence in my view that services had deteriorated since 2016 and the Council had lost sight of their responsibilities to effectively monitor services., but believes "Leaders are aware of these deficits, and work now needs to move at pace to address these.” 

Opposition Lib Dem leader on Sefton ,Cllr John Pugh commented,

 " There is absolutely imperative moral requirement across the Council not to let children in need down and every councillor has a responsibility here. However, the 'cultural shift strategy' that the Commissioner calls for does not come naturally to a Council that often functions like a one party state — where all criticism and comment is seen through a partisan lens. 

It’s infinitely more important now to get things right than apportion blame for past deficiencies .”