Children’s services jointly run by two London councils have been awarded an Outstanding rating by Ofsted three times in a row – making it a first in the nation. Westminster City Council and Kensington and Chelsea Council were handed the stellar outcome following an inspection in November.
According to both councils, they are the first to receive an Outstanding judgement three times consecutively over 10 years. Inspectors concluded young people in Kensington and Chelsea received ‘excellent’ services and praised the ‘strong political and partnership’ support from Cabinet Members.
They also praised recent investment in the department, which totalled £4.7m this year, according to the council but urged the council to do more to end delays in identifying permanent homes for kids in their care. They also said in a small number of cases, social workers are not given consistent supervision to help progress children’s plans.
Inspectors praised Kensington and Chelsea Council
(Image: RBKC)
Meanwhile, inspectors said Westminster City Council had continued to strengthen the service since an inspection in 2019. They said politicians and senior leaders meaningfully engaged with children, families and partners on a regular basis and said sustained investment had helped create a ‘highly effective, impressive’ early help service.
However, the council was told to improve how it responds to allegations made against their workers. Inspectors wrote of Westminster City’s services: “Experienced, knowledgeable practitioners throughout children’s services are assisted in their work by highly developed local safeguarding partnership arrangements that provide much scrutiny and a visionary, innovative approach to improving practice for children. Children in care and care leavers benefit from outstanding support and exceptional learning opportunities.”
Inspectors said leaders at Kensington and Chelsea Council listened to children, families and the workforce and used a range of tests to ensure they could provide adequate care. They wrote: “Children in need of help and protection receive a highly effective service that is both timely and responsive to their level of need. In both the multi-agency safeguarding hub and the locality teams, thresholds for intervention are applied appropriately, with a quick response to any referrals about children who may be in need or at risk of harm.”
Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Lead Member for Family and Children’s Services, Cllr Catherine Faulks, said being graded Outstanding on three consecutive inspections was ‘unprecedented’. She said: “[It] is a reassuring third party perspective on the work we do here to prioritise children’s safety and give young people the best possible start in life.
“This result will be a huge boost and credit to all those staff who are so dedicated to doing the best for children in our borough. My thanks and admiration go out to them all.”
Ofsted has give the service the highest possible rating after three consecutive inspections
(Image: RBKC)
Bijal Shah, a front-line worker who was interviewed by Ofsted as part of the inspection, said: “When you get a message from a young person, they reach out to you to say thank you for that help, or Happy Christmas or Happy New Year, it makes you feel you’re really making a difference, which is what it’s all about. I’m so proud to have been part of this inspection and a part of this team.”
Westminster City’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection, Cllr Aicha Less, said she was ‘immensely proud’ of the outcome, which she said reflected the dedication and commitment of staff. She said: “Receiving an Outstanding result for the third consecutive year, spanning 10 years, is an incredible achievement for the council, although we recognise that pressures on social care services have increased significantly in recent years due to the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.
“We understand the importance of adapting to evolving needs and challenges and can assure you that we will continue to work with the community and local partners to identify how we can improve and achieve better outcomes for children and families in Westminster. We remain deeply committed to delivering family-focused services that are not only responsive to the needs of children and young people but are also informed by their voices and experiences.”
According to Ofsted’s website, the local authorities received an Outstanding rating in 2015, 2019 and 2025.
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