Local agencies that are failing to work together effectively to protect vulnerable children will be held to account by new joint inspections, it has been announced today.
Joint Targeted Area Inspections (JTAI) will be introduced this autumn by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.
They will specifically examine how well local authorities, health, police and probation services work together to safeguard children. The new inspections will shine a light on both good and poor practice, identifying examples from which others can learn and helping local agencies to improve.
The proposals, set out in a consultation launched today by Ofsted, will give inspectorates more flexibility and the ability to be responsive to areas of interest or concern.
The initial six inspections that will be carried out between October and April 2016 will focus on children at risk of sexual exploitation and those missing from home, school or care. The assessments will review services within local authority areas.
Further inspections will look at other issues by theme.
CQC deputy chief inspector, Sue McMillan, said:
“CQC is committed to the programme of joint inspection. Decades of inquiries have taught us that it is whole systems that fail children and young people and inspection must focus on how organisations work together to protect them.
“We welcome the joint targeted area inspection proposals and urge you to respond to this consultation. We’d like to hear the views of as many people as possible to help us build this critical inspection programme.”
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Give your views
We’d like to hear the views of as many people as possible to help us build this critical inspection programme.
Sue McMillan, CQC deputy chief inspector