Westminster’s Children’s Services earns outstanding rating from Ofsted for third consecutive time

Children sat at a long wooden table having school lunch.

Westminster City Council’s Children’s Services have been rated outstanding by Ofsted for the third time in a row.

The service received an outstanding grade across all five judgements. This is reflective of the council’s continued commitment to deliver quality child-centred and family focused services.

The council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, who Westminster jointly delivers Children’s Services with, have become the first two Local Authorities to receive an outstanding judgement for three consecutive inspections, spanning 10 years.

Ofsted carried out their inspection in November 2024, seeking children and young people’s experiences of help, protection and care given to them by council staff and evaluating the actions of council leaders to improve these services.

Child is sat on the floor happily reading a book. There is a wooden bookshelf with children's books next to the child.

The inspection report outlines several strengths of Children’s Services in Westminster, including the dedication from social workers to inform their practice with children’s views and aspirations, their prompt responses to risk, and their tireless efforts to help children remain with their families.

Social workers were specifically commended in the report for their highly skilled responses to risk for children, particularly how they and other council staff support children and families who have experienced domestic abuse.

Where children are in the council’s care, the report finds that they receive excellent support from caring social workers who understand the child’s needs and work collaboratively with them to ensure they have the best chances to progress.

The report also highlights the high quality of care provided by the council for disabled children, including timely assessments of their needs, followed by comprehensive support packages tailored to meet those needs with consideration for cultural diversity and other influencing factors. Additionally, staff were praised for their efforts to assist disabled children and their families in accessing advocacy services.

Ofsted note that the excellent and thoughtful services delivered on the ground by practitioners are backed by meaningful political and corporate support, with politicians and senior leaders regularly engaging with children, families and partners to ensure their views are reflected in services.

Senior managers and social workers show genuine understanding of Westminster’s culturally rich community having worked in the City for many years.

Ofsted also highlighted the positive impact sustained investment has had on improving the council’s services since the last inspection. This includes creating highly effective, impressive early help services in turn providing many families with essential support without escalation into statutory social work.

Child dressed in Spiderman costume is playing giant connect four with an adult. They are both sat on the floor and there are other children's toys including lego bricks and a car track on the floor.

In light of the ongoing pressures families face following the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, there has been an increasing demand for social care support. Social workers are often working with children and parents to address a range of complex issues, including school attendance, mental health, well-being, and domestic abuse.

Tragic incidents also remind us of the profound challenges that our communities face and the critical response and care the council must provide.

While the council is proud that Ofsted has recognised the dedication and hard work of staff in improving outcomes for children, it acknowledges that there is always room for improvement. The council remains committed to continuously enhancing the services it provides and learning how it can do more to support Westminster’s children and families, ensuring that services are best equipped to meet their evolving needs.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Children and Public Protection Cllr Aicha Less said:

“I am immensely proud of the outcome of this inspection, which reflects the inspiring dedication and commitment of our staff who show up every day to support children and families in Westminster.

It is especially motivating to see the positive impact of our services across a range of areas, from early help programmes and strong referral connections with partner agencies to the comprehensive and culturally sensitive assessment support provided for disabled children.

Receiving an ‘Outstanding’ result for the third consecutive time, spanning 10 years, is an incredible achievement for the council, although we recognise that pressures on social care services have increased significantly in recent years due to the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

We can't do what we do by working in isolation, so it’s important to recognise the collaboration and contribution of other services; our fantastic schools and the voluntary and community sector.

We understand the importance of adapting to evolving needs and challenges and can assure you that we will continue to work with the community and local partners to identify how we can improve and achieve better outcomes for children and families in Westminster.

We remain deeply committed to delivering family-focused services that are not only responsive to the needs of children and young people but are also informed by their voices and experiences.”

You can read the full Ofsted report at London Borough of Westminster - Open - Find an Inspection Report - Ofsted

Families in Westminster can find support at Family Information Hub

Published: 13 January 2025