On 26 and 27 March 2025 Havering Children’s Services welcomed Ofsted inspectors to the borough to undertake their second monitoring visit following the “Inadequate” judgement in December 2023.
His Majesty’s Inspectors have provided a comprehensive evaluation of the progress made since the full inspection in December 2023 and their initial monitoring visit in October 2024.
This second monitoring visit identified several areas where Havering children’s services have made significant strides.
Notably, the Director of Children’s Services, in collaboration with corporate and political leaders, has secured substantial financial investment to undertake improvements.
The newly appointed permanent senior leadership team is beginning to show a positive impact on the significant areas of improvement identified during the last inspection.
Inspectors noted that leaders understand the areas for improvements and the inspector’s findings align with the insights leaders have gained from their own audit activities with targeted improvement activity taking place.
This visit focused on the experiences and outcomes for children in care, including those with disabilities, those in supported accommodation and those who go missing from care.
Inspectors also evaluated the effectiveness of the response to homeless 16 and 17-year-old children.
Inspectors noted the new Corporate Parenting Service, introduced in September 2024, has resulted in more reasonable caseloads for social workers supporting children in care.
Inspectors found strengthened performance data reflects an improving picture, with more timely visits to children and more children in care reviews being held within statutory timescales.
Short-term and long-term indicators of placement stability are improving.
Children in supported accommodation receive additional oversight and support from social workers, ensuring progress in their education and life skills.
Councillor Oscar Ford, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:
“We are pleased that inspectors saw that our ‘social workers are committed and passionate advocates for their children’ ensuring their voices are heard and recorded sensitively.”
“Whilst we celebrate the positive developments seen by Ofsted, we acknowledge that there is still a great deal more to do.
“The visit found that not all social workers are receiving regular supervision to progress care plans to ensure all our children achieve timely permanence.
"We know that some practitioners need further support to gain the confidence and technical knowledge to support the improvement work we are undertaking, and a range of training is being delivered.
“We are pleased that improvements in our response to children who go missing from care were recognised, so we are seeing a more effective response for most children, but we are striving to achieve consistency in practice for all children with our partner agencies.
“Havering Council remains committed to improving our children's services and ensuring the best outcomes for the children in our care, and all children and families we support.
"We are encouraged by the positive progress noted by Ofsted and are dedicated to addressing the areas that require further improvement.
“We are continuing our focus on strengthening management oversight and supervision, so that social workers are well supported to progress plans for children.
"We will continue to work diligently to provide the highest standard of care and support for our children and families in the borough.”