Blackpool’s children’s social care improvements get stamp of approval

Blackpool Council has been given the go-ahead to continue delivering children’s services after showing significant improvements over the past two years.

Two years ago, an Ofsted inspection rated the service as “inadequate”. An independent review later declared that children’s social care should remain under Council control but said that assessments should continue for at least another year.

Now Helen Lincoln, the Commissioner in charge of the review, has carried out a final assessment in which she recommends to the minister that the Council is in good position to continue to deliver effective children’s social care services in Blackpool and that there is no need for further intervention on her part or for consideration of an alternative delivery method.

In that final report, the Commissioner says that over the past 18 months Blackpool has put in place the building blocks required to enable “substantial and lasting improvement” for children and families.

She reports that during her review period there has been considerable improvement in leadership, practice and partnership arrangements. She also highlights a gradual reduction in social worker caseloads, facilitated by a £4m investment by the Council resulting in the recruitment of more than 100 qualified social workers.

The Commissioner adds: “There continues to be very significant challenges for Blackpool, not least the very high level of poverty and deprivation in the town and the economic challenge to the Council through significant lost revenue this year.

“These challenges are evident in continuing high levels of demand on children’s services as seen by numbers of referrals, children subject to child protection plans and children in care.

“However, Blackpool is now responding to the needs of its children and families in more restorative and problem solving ways, with more support from partners and early help to meet children’s needs, so that social worker caseloads are slowly reducing giving them more time to work with children and families with complex needs.”

The Commissioner points out that the past year has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the public service response to it.

But she adds: “It was very pleasing to see how effectively Blackpool Council responded without delay to COVID by supporting schools, providing food and practical support to families, enabling staff to work at home through online technology and hardware, while supporting staff to continue to carry out face-to-face visits where necessary.

“The organisation required to deliver this response demonstrates the stronger grip that the Council has upon its children’s services.”

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We are extremely encouraged by the Commissioner’s stamp of approval of the improvements we have made.

“Our Director of Children’s Services, her team and our partners have worked tirelessly to address the challenges identified in the original report. We acknowledge that this is not the end of the journey and that there is much more to be done, not just in sustaining the improvements that have been made, but in taking the quality of delivery of our children’s services to the next level.

“It goes without saying that our priority has, and will always be, the wellbeing of our children and ensuring that they can enjoy the best and happiest life chances.”

The final report to the Education Secretary makes particular reference to the new model of practice, Blackpool Families Rock which, says the Commissioner, is owned and understood by staff and shared with partners.

The model, which was launched in March last year, is aimed at shifting service culture away from a focus on process to one that works with families to achieve optimum impact and outcomes for their children.

Diane Booth, the Council’s Director of Children’s Services, who is to retire in March, said: “I am extremely proud of the progress that we have made in the most challenging of circumstances.

“I share the Commissioner’s view that the service is now built on solid foundations and that we have a model of practice in place that will enable us to meet head on the challenges that lie ahead.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to the children’s services team, the corporate workforce and our partners as this has been an exemplary team effort.”