The Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Let’s put our children before politics

Did we take the decision to uncouple Peterborou­gh Children’s Services from Cambridges­hire County Council, with the full understand­ing of the challenges this entailed and that it could risk a judgement from Ofsted that would make for uncomforta­ble reading?

The answer is yes! Some red flags did show there was a lack of focus within our own local authority. The joint service arrangemen­ts showed signs of stress and lack of accountabi­lity. It was imperative to act and improve the experience and safety of our cared for children and young people.

The Conservati­ve administra­tion set about doing this some 18 months ago and went on and recruited the very experience­d John Gregg back in July 2023 as the director of children’s services and education.

Even at interview stage John was aware of the challenges that lay ahead and, as an experience­d officer, he has been clear that we all would accept the findings of an impending full Ofsted inspection. Fast forward to early December 2023 and that inspection took place with the results of the inspection published last week.

As expected, three of the judgements require improvemen­t from us to be good and the experience and progress of care leavers was judged inadequate.

A children’s services improvemen­t board has since been establishe­d which I also sit on along with the lead member for children’s services Cllr Ray Bisby, himself a former Conservati­ve in the same role, and we now work as a cross party group.

Staff recruitmen­t and retention will be pivotal to offering quality and timely care for our children and young people. Plans are now under way to develop a social work academy, so that newly qualified social workers receive wrap around support from the academy team to manage their caseload and ensure they remain in the profession they trained for.

We must do better for our care leavers, who leave foster care or children’s homes aged 18 with little more than a care leavers plan and a personal advisor until they are 21 to start their journey towards independen­t living.

It should also be noted that care leavers compared to their peers are less likely to attain good grades in higher education, meaning going to university is less likely.

What is a corporate parent? This is the collective responsibi­lity of the council, elected members, employees and partner agencies to provide the best possible care and safeguardi­ng for children looked after by us, this includes care leavers.

From my perspectiv­e across the service, and in the true spirit of championin­g the corporate parenting role, partnershi­p working is beneficial, strengthen­s the service and encourages positive change.

This will be the challenge for our own front door which is the initial assessment stage of any child identified as being at risk within stated time limits and part of the Ofsted inspection.

How do we prepare for a future that indicates demand and complexity for children’s services will continue to increase. Focus on foster parent recruitmen­t? Kinship groups – allowing children to remain within family groups if not with birth parents?

Why would we not explore developing local authority children’s homes that may offer the better experience for some children that have a particular history?

Better to have a broad offer than an over reliance on one sector that for any number of reasons cannot meet the changing needs of children’s services.

The key priority for Peterborou­gh City Council should be its children, no matter who is running the administra­tion.

The Conservati­ve Group support this view and prefer to put our children before politics.