Children and young people in West Sussex are receiving stronger support, according to government inspectors.
Ofsted has praised West Sussex County Council after a focused visit, highlighting more effective assessments and quicker safeguarding decisions.
Inspectors say services for children in need of help and protection have improved, with better early intervention and targeted support for vulnerable families.
Commenting on Ofsted’s findings, Councillor Jacquie Russell, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning, said: “We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the significant progress we’ve made to improve services for children and families in West Sussex. This reflects the dedication and hard work of our staff and partners.”
Inspectors praised the council for:
- Improved quality and timeliness of child protection strategy discussions, ensuring quicker and more effective safeguarding decisions.
- Stronger, more effective assessments for children, leading to better-targeted support.
- Better support for 16 and 17-year-olds at risk of homelessness, now much more attuned to their needs.
- Early identification of need, including for unborn children, and building respectful, trusting relationships with families.
- Innovative use of specialist practitioners alongside social workers.
- High staff retention and positive cultural change, leaving the service well-placed to consolidate improvements.
The report highlights the significant improvements made by the council in recent years. Examples of improved practice include:
- Family network meetings that help children remain safely within their families by drawing on wider support.
- Robust reviews and safeguarding panels that ensure timely intervention, particularly for children at risk of exploitation.
- Targeted educational support through the Virtual School, which has improved attendance and stability for vulnerable children.
- Redesigning services to better align with children’s and families’ needs, supported by specialist expertise in areas such as domestic abuse and substance misuse.
Councillor Russell added: “Our ambition is clear: every child should receive the best possible care and protection, helping young people achieve their full potential and keeping them safe from vulnerable situations.
“We have moved from ratings of ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’ with ‘good’ features in our previous full inspection, and Ofsted’s feedback following this focused visit shows that our positive momentum remains strong. There is always more that we can do, and as we look ahead to a fuller inspection later this year, we will continue to build on the progress we’ve achieved.”
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