In nearly all instances, the inspections of safeguarding and looked after children outcomes and services will be carried out as a single inspection event. Exceptionally, where provision for either safeguarding and looked after children has been judged inadequate previously or where serious concerns about safeguarding have been raised, a separate inspection of safeguarding or looked after children may be carried out.
There are two elements to the inspection:
1) Safeguarding
Inspections of safeguarding will assess the effectiveness of children’s trusts and local children’s organisations and assess whether their policies comply with statutory requirements and guidance. In doing this, inspections will take a broad view of the following.
How well agencies and professionals work together to identify, safeguard and promote the welfare of potentially vulnerable groups of children and young people who live in their area. These groups might include asylum-seeking children, children in secure settings, disabled children and children treated by health services.
How well practice is supported and underpinned by effective local policy-making and implementation.
To do this, inspectors will evaluate the impact of safeguarding systems and frameworks across local public services on safeguarding and protecting children. This will include:
- outcomes for children and young people
- how well safeguarding is prioritised
- whether child welfare concerns are identified and responded to appropriately by the relevant agencies
- the extent to which public agencies discharge their responsibility to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
2) Looked After Children
As set out in Care Matters, the government’s framework for improving outcomes for looked after children, inspection must contribute to improved and sustainable outcomes for looked after children and their families. The looked after children element of the inspection will focus on:
- outcomes achieved
- impact of services
- quality of risk management and decision-making in identifying which children need to be taken into care
- quality of care planning, review and support for children in care and care leavers
- placement stability
- safeguarding of looked after children
- access to, and attendance at, suitable schools
- support for families and carers
- the effectiveness of corporate parenting approaches preparation for leaving care and adult life and the subsequent support
