Setting

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 020-7421-6666 Direct F 020-7421-6746 sue.leaver@ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr Chris Spencer Director of Education and Children’s Services London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge Middlesex UB9 1UW

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Hillingdon children’s services

This letter contains the findings of the recent unannounced inspection of contact, referral and assessment arrangements within local authority children’s services in the London Borough of Hillingdon which was conducted on 29 June and 1 July 2009. The inspection was carried out under section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. It will contribute to Ofsted’s annual review of the performance of the authority’s children’s services, for which Ofsted will award a rating later in the year.

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Hillingdon children’s services

The inspection identified no areas for priority action but a significant number of areas for development, which are detailed below.

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Hillingdon children’s services

The inspection sampled the quality and effectiveness of contact, referral and assessment arrangements and their impact on minimising the incidence of child abuse and neglect. Inspectors considered a range of evidence, including: electronic case records; supervision files and notes; observation of social workers and senior practitioners undertaking referral and assessment duties; and other information provided by staff and managers. Inspectors also spoke to a range of staff including managers, social workers, other practitioners and administrative staff. I am grateful to you and your staff for your help and the time given during this inspection.

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Hillingdon children’s services

From the evidence gathered, the inspection identified a number of areas where the contact, referral and assessment arrangements were delivered satisfactorily in accordance with national guidance, in particular:

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Hillingdon children’s services

ƒ Processes for responding to contact and referrals are clear and there is evidence of sound management oversight and decision-making.

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Hillingdon children’s services

ƒ Child protection cases are allocated promptly and appropriate action is taken. ƒ There is close partnership working, particularly with the police on child protection cases.

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Hillingdon children’s services

ƒ The quality of initial assessments viewed was satisfactory.

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Hillingdon children’s services

ƒ From the sample of cases seen there was evidence of sensitive involvement of children and families in assessment and care planning, including appropriate consideration of needs related to ethnicity, culture, race and religion.

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Hillingdon children’s services

ƒ Individual caseload levels, although variable in size, are satisfactory overall and well managed.

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Hillingdon children’s services

From the evidence gathered, the following strengths and areas for development were also identified:

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Strengths

ƒ The quality of core assessments viewed was good. ƒ Consultation with children and parents involved in the child protection process is effective. ƒ The morale of front-line staff is good. ƒ Arrangements for the assessment, planning and support of asylum-seeking children and young people are good. ƒ Managers take effective action to reduce workload pressures within the referral and assessment team.

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Areas for development

ƒ There is a lack of clarity amongst partner agencies in relation to the threshold for referrals to the social work teams. Consequently, a high percentage of referrals result in “no further action”. ƒ The Common Assessment Framework process is not sufficiently developed and not used routinely when appropriate. ƒ There is a significant backlog of unallocated children in need cases although an effective management action plan is already having an impact in reducing this and there is good management oversight of these cases. ƒ The proportion of initial and core assessments completed within timescale has declined significantly since April 2009. ƒ There is a low level of routine feedback to referrers on the decisions made in relation to their referrals. ƒ The new integrated children’s system and effective management information are insufficiently embedded; arrangements for case file audits and quality assurance are not sufficiently developed.

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Areas for development

ƒ The current method for determining the start date for initial assessments is not consistent with the definition of the associated national indicator.

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Areas for development

Heather Brown Divisional Manager, Social Care Safeguarding

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Areas for development

Copy: Hugh Dunnachie, Chief Executive, London Borough of Hillingdon Chris Spencer, Chair of Hillingdon Safeguarding Children Board David Simmonds, Lead member for Children’s Services, London Borough of Hillingdon John Browning, Department for Children, Schools and Families

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