Ofsted praise substantial improvements for children in care in North Northamptonshire
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Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said:
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Hide Ad“I think all of us can remember what it was like to start living independently, whether it was going to university, getting a job, or moving in with friends or partners. It can be exciting, but it’s also an uncertain time, and feels like a huge step.
“For most young people, this happens with a great deal of support from family, but this often isn’t the case for young people leaving the care system.
“This focused visit has recognised all the hard work and the commitment that our Leaving Care team has for our children and young people in our area.
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Hide Ad“I’m incredibly proud of their achievements, their work is integral to our aim is to create a place where everyone, that’s everyone, has the best opportunities and quality of life possible.”
Julian Wooster, Chair of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust said:
“We are incredibly proud of our care experienced young people and their eagerness to share their lived experiences with us and the Ofsted inspectors. It was heartening to hear how well they feel supported by the workforce and their commitment to improving the lives of children and young people in Northamptonshire.
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Hide Ad“Working collaboratively with North Northamptonshire Council we know that we can take forward and implement the Ofsted recommendations so that together we can achieve the best possible outcomes for children, young people and families in the county.”
At the beginning of October, Ofsted carried out a focused visit to North Northamptonshire children’s services, specifically looking at the arrangements for care experienced young people.
Since the last focused visit in November 2023 inspectors have continued to see ongoing improvements that Northamptonshire Children’s Trust are making with inspectors saying: ‘The improvements are resulting in care experienced young people being fully supported to make the transition to adulthood safely, and at their own pace.’
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Hide Ad‘A commitment to improvement and innovation has allowed practice with care experienced young people to develop and flourish.’
Inspectors added that staff at all levels are ambitious for care experienced young people and advocate strongly for them. Young people told inspectors that ‘they feel cared for and valued by leaders who listen to them and make meaningful change according to what they tell them.’
Leadership was also highlighted as a strength, with Ofsted saying Personal Advisors (PA’s) within the leaving care service feel supported by their managers who they find ‘accessible and approachable.’
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Hide AdThey added: ‘PA’s know their young people well, they speak with passion and pride about their achievements and go above and beyond to ensure their support needs are met.’
Inspectors met with a number of care experienced young people throughout the course of the inspection, and they told them about their experience and the support that they receive from the leaving care service with young people describing their PA’s as ‘helpful, caring and responsive’. They also found that ‘care experienced young people form meaningful relationships with their PA that lasts years.’
Since the establishment of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust four years ago, a positive change in culture has been noted throughout Ofsted inspections. In this latest visit, inspectors found the workplace culture to be collaborative and supportive. This culture is also the experience that care leavers have, with them telling inspectors that the hub based in Northampton has provided them with a space to make friends and share experiences. They also said that is has helped them to manage feelings of loneliness and describe the hub as “my family”.
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Hide AdOfsted inspectors also noted there were still improvements to be made but that leaders in both North Northamptonshire Council and Northamptonshire Children’s Trust were acutely aware of addressing these issues, such as securing and opening a ‘hub’ in North Northamptonshire so that young people have support and a safe space to go in their area. Securing permanent housing and prioritising housing for care experienced young people is a real challenge.
Scott Edwards, North Northamptonshire Council's Executive Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills, said:
“Young people told inspectors that ‘they feel cared for and valued by leaders who listen to them and make meaningful change according to what they tell them.’ This is a real achievement of a team whose work is integral to supporting all of our young care leavers to have opportunities to fulfil their life long potential.
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Hide Ad“However, we also must recognise that there is still work to be done and we take on board all the feedback from the inspectors. This includes providing bus passes to make sure that care experienced young people can access support at the hub in Northampton whilst the new hub for North Northamptonshire is established.”