Hounslow Council's Children's Services has received a 'Good' overall rating by independent regulator Ofsted in its latest assessment.

Inspectors visiting Hounslow from 16 to 20 October 2023 praised staff working across Children's Services, with a focus on the needs of children in the borough and a commitment to continually improve services offered. 

The report stated that "the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection and children in care have markedly improved" and that there is a "child-focused culture that is evident throughout the organisation."

Among the services that received a specific mention were children with disabilities, vulnerable children in education, unaccompanied children, and adoption.

The impact of leaders within the Council, from Members to operational managers, improved from 'Good' in 2018 to 'Outstanding'. 

Two of Hounslow's practitioners, Nazir and Dionne, were proud that their hard work and the day-to-day dedication of their colleagues has been recognised by Ofsted.

They said: "Although having Ofsted visit can feel like a nervous time for all, it was great to have the opportunity to showcase first-hand the amazing work that is completed across children services. 

"It's really rewarding as a practitioner to be able to make a positive impact on the children and their families' lives. We work hard as a team to provide a caring service and adapt to individual's needs."

Nazir and Dionne added: "The hard work and dedication of the team, including commitment to the families we work with has really shone through.  

"The support we receive from managers and senior leaders makes a huge difference and provides us with the tools we need to reflect on the service we deliver and make continuous improvements." 

Councillor Lily Bath, Cabinet Member for Education, Children, Skills and Employment said: "We are committed to ensuring every child has the best start in life and I'm thrilled that Hounslow's Children's Services has received another positive rating from Ofsted.

"Most importantly it shows clear progress since the last inspection, and I want to thank our staff and partners who continually strive to improve the support provided in the borough. 

"The inspectors highlighted and praised the platform provided to young people to help shape our services. It's vital that we give children a voice to influence the decisions made about them and this increased engagement is a key part of our radical overhaul of consultation and engagement." 

Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of the Council added: "This inspection and report are a testament to the hard work of Council officers and our partners to make these significant improvements to our services for children and young people.

"As the report highlights, there is a constant desire and ambition across the Council to change and improve. 

"The report also praised the Council's One Hounslow approach which ensures vulnerable children's needs are embedded across the organisation.  

"Despite increasing demands on Council services, we have responded effectively with a clear focus on the needs of our children and introduced new ways of working to strengthen the support on offer for families and enhance children's lives." 

Read the full Ofsted report here.

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