Hillingdon Council’s Children’s Services has been judged as one of the best in England, following an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted report released on Monday 20 November 2023.
During their visit to Hillingdon from October 2 to October 6, Ofsted inspectors praised the council staff, describing them as excellent champions for children, families, and young people.
They specifically emphasised that children in the London Borough of Hillingdon continue to benefit from a highly effective service.
The glowing report acknowledged the increased demand for services in the borough, but praised the council’s leadership for strengthening and improving practices, pointing out areas of innovation that stand out as exceptional practices, ultimately enhancing children’s experiences and progress.
Since its last Ofsted report in 2018, the council has introduced an innovative Stronger Families hub which offers locality-based early help and out of hours support to children and families and launched an awarding-winning Adolescent Service and response to contextual safeguarding.
Notable strengths mentioned in the report include a stable and experienced senior leadership team, dedicated social workers, and effective leadership from Chief Executive Tony Zaman, who spent eight years as the Director of Children’s Services.
The report also highlighted the council’s strong partnership working and its commitment to innovation.
Councillor Susan O’Brien, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Families, and Education, expressed her delight, said: “We are thrilled to achieve such a remarkable Ofsted rating for our Children’s Services, and I’d like to thank all our staff and partners who continue to strive to improve outcomes for children and young people in Hillingdon.
“Despite increasing demands on council services, we have introduced new ways of working to strengthen our offer to families and will continue to successfully work together with our partners to enhance the lives of children and young people across the borough.”
You can view the full Ofsted report here.
Featured Image credit: Stock Image from Pexels
