Ofsted proposes to extend its new report-card model to the frameworks that judge local authority children’s services and the providers they commission.
The consultation, running until 28 September, covers both ILACS — the inspection of local authority children’s services — and the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF), which applies to children’s homes and other providers.
Proposals include a new five-point grading scale, report cards in place of single overall judgements, and a move to standard inspections roughly every four years with lighter-touch visits in between.
The regulator proposes making local authority’s use of unregistered children’s homes a “limiting” criterion under ILACS, which would prevent a council reaching the expected standard if it relies on illegal provision. The plan would also remove the “overall experiences and progress” judgement under the SCCIF.
Sir Martyn Oliver, HM Chief Inspector, said: “Every child deserves to grow up in a loving home. Despite the tireless dedication of the social care workforce, many children and families don’t get the support they need.”
The changes would bring social care inspection into line with the report-card approach already introduced for education, giving the regulator a more consistent grammar across the settings operating large specialist groups.