Today, Sam Holland, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Dagenham and Rainham, wrote to the Department for Education calling for an investigation into the failing Children Service's Department at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Sam's request follows a report issued by Ofsted which outlines systemic failings in the services offered by the Department. Ofsted judged that four of the five areas inspected 'require improvement to be good'.
You can read a copy of Sam's letter below. Ofsted's report can be found here: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/44/80486
Sam Holland
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate
For Dagenham and Rainham
8-12 Salisbury Road
Dagenham, RM10 8TT
The Hon. David Johnston OBE MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
For Children, Families and Wellbeing
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street
London, SW1P 3BT
Monday 11th September 2023
Letter Concerning Ofsted Inspection Report of Barking and Dagenham Council’s Children’s Services
Dear David
I am writing to you concerning the state of the Children’s Services Department at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. This follows a recent inspection by Ofsted carried out between 10th and 21st July 2023. I enclose a copy of their inspection report published on 4th September 2023.
The report paints a grave picture of the standard of service being offered by Barking and Dagenham Council towards vulnerable and at-risk children in the borough – indeed, four of the five judgments which were assessed in the inspection received a grade of ‘requires improvement to be good’.
I am particularly concerned that children in care, those amongst the most vulnerable, are being failed at the front line. To quote from the report directly:
“…the pressures on management capacity, which were identified at the last inspection, continue to hinder the oversight and supervision needed to support effective frontline practice. This is evident in a lack of decisive intervention for some children who are exposed to long-term neglect and domestic abuse, and in delays in progressing permanence plans and life-story work for some children in care”.
Whilst the report acknowledges improvement has been made since the previous inspection of Barking and Dagenham’s Children’s Services in 2019, I remain very concerned that the overall rating remains less than good.
I am also concerned that the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is not fully committed to seeking the improvement in Children’s Services that Ofsted says is required in its report. Cllr Darren Rodwell, the Leader of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham even went as far as to say, “Ofsted’s findings are a huge endorsement of our journey of improving outcomes for children…” in a press release on 5th September.
It is deeply alarming this conclusion has been drawn when the overall effectiveness of the Department is deemed to ‘require improvement to be good’.
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has some of the highest levels of child poverty in the country, with 1 out of every 8 of its families being single parent. In that context, it’s vital that the Children’s Service’s offered in the Borough are of the highest quality.
As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Families and Wellbeing at the Department for Education, I am writing to you to request that an investigation, over and above the Ofsted inspection, is conducted into the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s persistently failing Children’s Services Department so that the standard of output and care can urgently be brought up to the that required by the children and families of our borough.
I appeal to you and the Department for Education to investigate this matter forthwith.
I have sent a copy of this letter to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and am placing a copy in the public domain.
Kind Regards
Sam Holland
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Dagenham and Rainham
T: 01708 761583
E: [email protected]
W: www.samholland.uk
