Hull City Council has announced a series of measures to improve children’s services after Ofsted concluded the experiences of children in care had ‘significantly declined'.
Chief executive, Matt Jukes, and council leader, Cllr Stephen Brady, yesterday announced that all cases were in the process of being reviewed to ensure that children are receiving the right care and protection.
A further £4.4m has also been committed by the council over the next year to help meet the escalating demand on children’s services, and to provide the additional capacity and resources needed to improve.
Ofsted’s report read: ‘There is insufficient management oversight to challenge drift, and to ensure that all children receive effective care planning and appropriate responses to their needs.
‘Managers at every level have been ineffective in recognising the extent of the weaknesses and impact on children.’
The council has announced a new director of children’s services and said it was working closely with its improvement adviser and the Department for Education.
Cllr Brady said the report was 'obviously a huge blow,’ adding: ‘On behalf of the council, I sincerely apologise that these essential services are not achieving the high standards required and want to reassure our residents that our top priority is to improve them.
‘We are ensuring we have the right leadership, expertise and resources to support our staff and partners as we redouble our efforts to make the improvements needed and deliver the best services we can and that Hull’s children and families deserve.’