Kids in care in Greater Manchester borough are safe, bosses say - after leader said she'd 'lost confidence in the system'

Kids in care in Tameside are safe, council bosses have said after a children's services leader said she had 'lost confidence in the system'.

According to the Children’s Services Scrutiny Panel, the comment allegedly made at a meeting by Allison Parkinson, director of Children’s Services, led councillors to believe the safety of children in care was in question.

Following the ‘misunderstanding’, Coun Bill Fairfoull, deputy executive leader for children and families and Sandra Stewart, chief executive, joined the director of children’s services to address the panel following a request from Ofsted.

Allison Parkinson, clarifying what she had said previously, told councillors at Tameside One: “It’s impossible to say that all children in all areas are safe at one time. I wouldn’t shy away from honesty.

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“I did not say or mean that the system is not safe - the systems have strengthened. They’ve made system changes, they [the changes] didn’t work how they should have in the first place, but modifications have been made to this.

“I am saying to you that children in our system are safe and the system is working to make sure our children are safe. We all have a duty of safeguarding.”

Ms Stewart told councillors changes to working practice had been made after weakness in the system were identified. She highlighted the ‘significant challenge’ in the sector, having double the number of children coming into the system, which has increased the workload for the depleted team.

Ofsted requested the panel receive clarification on children’s safety in the