Children's Services Improving in Milton Keynes

9.22.00pm GMT Mon 14th Dec 2009

Milton Keynes Children's Services are improving. In an official publication of Ofsted ratings for all local authority children's services in England, Milton Keynes is said to be "performing adequately". This is a move in the right direction from its rating of "inadequate" in 2008 and a step that has contributed to the Council's improved rating in the Comprehensive Area Assessment.

A letter from Ofsted to the Director of Children's Services, Gail Tolley, says that the overall effectiveness of the large majority of inspected services and settings in Milton Keynes is good or better.

Ofsted's report says that achievement in the Early Years Foundation Stage has improved in line with similar areas and improvement nationally. Most nurseries are good or better, as are the large majority of childcare settings and childminders.

Provision for looked-after children is mixed and fostering and adoption agencies are good but private fostering arrangements are satisfactory. Length of placements for looked-after children show significant improvement and numbers of care leavers in employment, education or training have increased.

Performance against the large majority of national indicators, including those for staying safe and enjoying and achieving, is at least in line with similar areas and broadly in line with or better than the national average. The difference between the performance of children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable and others of the same age is consistently in line with the national figure and similar areas.

The report says that further improvements are needed in the Borough's schools to bring all areas of performance in line with similar areas and the national average. Work is also needed on the provision for children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Liberal Democrat councillor Sandra Clark, said: "There is no doubt that we are improving our services for children and young people. I am pleased that the ratings published today have recognised this.

"We know we have considerable work to do and we have set ourselves challenging targets to further improve our rating next year. We have already had some positive inspection outcomes and results from this year which will feed into the 2010 rating so I am confident that our services and partners can rise to the challenge."