Government ends children's services intervention

The government has ended its intervention into Herefordshire Council's children's services after bosses decided enough improvements had been made.

The Department of Education has written to the authority to congratulate it on the progress, and said councillors and staff had implemented "significant" changes.

It comes four years after the service was deemed inadequate, with Ofsted inspectors warning that "widespread and serious failings" had left children "not protected from harm".

Council leader Jonathan Lester said the service had been "transformed", and added: "I could not be more proud".

In 2022 a special commissioner was appointed to try to turn around the service after it received the lowest possible rating.

At the time, the council's then-chief executive Paul Walker issued a public apology and said children and families "deserved better".

The first commissioner ended up resigning, leading to accusations from parents about a lack of communication, before Deborah McMillan was appointed to drive through the changes.

In the government letter, MP Josh MacAlister - the minister for children - said he was "delighted" with the service and told Lester he had decided to revoke the statutory direction that had led to commissioners' appointment.

Lester said: "This is a significant moment for Herefordshire and one that everyone involved in our improvement journey should be proud of.

"We have transformed our children's services, moving from a position where external intervention was necessary to one where there is confidence in our ability to lead and to continue to develop good services ourselves."

Last year Ofsted rated the service as "good", paving the way for the intervention to be withdrawn.

Tina Russell, the corporate director for children and young people at the council, said: "This is a welcome endorsement of the progress we have made.

"Improving outcomes for children and young people has been a priority for the organisation, and for our partners."

In his letter, MacAlister urged the council to make sure the progress was sustained, and said he wanted to see the service budget remain in line with what comparable councils spent on at-risk children.

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