Havering’s Children’s Services is continuing to make progress for children in care, with Ofsted inspectors recognising ‘tangible improvement that is making a positive difference for children’.
Two of His Majesty's Inspectors carried out their fifth monitoring visit to Havering Children’s Services on 3 and 4 June 2026 following the ‘Inadequate’ judgement of children's services in December 2023.
The monitoring visit focused on the experiences of children in care, including children with disabilities, care planning, ensuring a good range of permanent homes for children in care, the role of Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) and management oversight.
Inspectors found evidence of good progress across many areas.
The letter highlights strong support for disabled children, improving workforce stability, effective challenge and oversight from IROs, and the significant contribution of the Virtual School helping children in care to engage in education and achieve positive outcomes.
The letter also recognises the continued commitment of corporate and political leaders to investing in Children’s Services and supporting the borough’s improvement journey.
Councillor Kevin Gill, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:
"This report recognises the continued progress that is being made and the dedication of our staff, foster carers and partners to improve the lives of children in our care.
"I am pleased that inspectors saw examples of children benefiting from stable relationships, purposeful support and professionals who know them well and are committed to helping them succeed.
"It is particularly encouraging that Ofsted highlighted the positive experiences of disabled children, the impact of our Virtual School and the strengthening role of Independent Reviewing Officers in helping to ensure that children’s needs remain at the centre of care planning.
"The report also recognises the improvements that have been made in recruiting and retaining social workers, which is helping to provide children with greater continuity and stronger relationships with the people who support them."
Inspectors found that social workers build meaningful relationships with children and are increasingly able to spend time understanding their needs and experiences.
The report also highlights progress in improving work to recruit foster carers helping to increase the range of homes available for children and young people.
While recognising the progress achieved, Ofsted identified areas where greater consistency is still needed, particularly in developing clear and robust plans for all our children in care and ensuring that learning from audits and feedback is used consistently to drive improvement.
Councillor Kevin Gill added:
"We know there is more to do, and we welcome the feedback from this visit.
"Our focus is on ensuring that every child receives consistently good support and experiences stability, security and positive relationships throughout their time in care.
"Senior managers are continuing to strengthen the quality of children’s plans, as well as the impact of our quality assurance processes and management oversight, while building on the improvements already recognised by inspectors.
"Improvement is a journey and we are ambitious for our children and young people.
"We will continue to listen, learn and build on the progress made so far to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive and achieve their potential."
The Council continues to work closely with partners and the Department for Education to deliver sustained improvement and better outcomes for children and young people.