CAFCASS NORTH & SOUTH OF TYNE SERVICE RATED
‘GOOD’
15th December
2010
The service that Cafcass provides to vulnerable children
in North and South of Tyne (service area N1) has been rated as
making 'good' progress by a recent Ofsted inspection.
Inspectors found that practitioners strongly focused on the
needs of the child and young person in each case and that in the
majority of cases our safeguarding work was satisfactory or
better. In particular, they highlighted the way in which our wishes
and feelings reports effectively allow children to voice their
concerns and influence plans for the future and are key in helping
the courts to reach a decision in their best interests. The report,
published today, also states that we are effectively
meeting demand for our services and tackling delay and that
all children are quickly allocated a practitioner.
Commenting on the report's
findings, Anthony Douglas, Chief Executive said, "At a time when
there is no let up in demand for our services it is especially
pleasing that our success in reducing waiting lists and providing a
quality and timely service to all children has been
recognised. There were 810 care applications nationally in
November, the highest ever recorded in that month. However, what
this report shows is that despite demand and through the sheer hard
work of our staff, we've maintained our ability to provide a
service to every child in need, in care or at risk who is referred
to us."
The unannounced inspection was
carried out between 17th and 18th November. Inspectors considered a
range of evidence including case records, observation of our staff
undertaking direct work with children and information from other
agencies with whom we work.
Click here to read the
full press release
Click here to read the Ofsted report
For further
information please contact
Naomi Lawson, Interim Head of
Communications
0844 353 3320 / 07768 796484