MP wants children’s services taken from council after ANOTHER scathing report

An MP has called for Tameside’s children’s services to be taken out of the council’s hands after Ofsted issued another scathing report on the department.

Andrew Gwynne, who represents the Denton and Reddish constituency, says the current state of the service – which has been rated ‘requires improvement’ since 2019 – is ‘letting children and families down’. In its latest report looking at the ‘front door’ of the service, Ofsted said that despite promises by the council to address capacity issues, the response to some children ‘at immediate risk of harm has deteriorated’ since its last inspection.

‘Systemic delay’ in convening strategy discussions means that children are being left in ‘circumstances of unassessed risk for too long’, the letter by inspector Mandy Nightingale states. Tameside council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it recognises the ‘continued need to improve’ and is working with the Department for Education to create an improvement plan.

READ MORE: Services for children with special needs heavily criticised by watchdogs

The report, which comes after a focused inspection of the service, is also critical of the leadership of the department – both at a professional and political level.

It states that, despite some recent changes, ‘political, corporate and operational leaders do not know their services and the impact for children well enough’.

Since 2018 there have been three different permanent or interim directors of children’s services, with Ali Stathers-Tracey being appointed in February.

In the same period there have been two cabinet members with responsibility for children’s services, Councillor Oliver Ryan, and deputy leader Coun Bill Fairfoull – who continues to hold the portfolio.

“Before