City of York Council has been appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) to help improve children’s services in other local authorities across the country.
The council will become a Children’s Social Care Improvement Team (CIT), recognising it’s work with local children, young people and families. The appointment also highlights the authority’s own improvement journey, which saw York’s Children’s Services go from a rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ to ‘Outstanding’ in one assessment cycle.
Cllr Bob Webb, City of York Council’s Executive member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
Being chosen as a Children’s Social Care Improvement team is a real honour and a significant national achievement for our Children’s Services Team and the wider council.
“Becoming an Improvement Team will not only enable us to continue to learn and improve our work in York, but also to share our learning and support other councils on their improvement journeys.
“It’s a real vote of confidence in the expertise, child-centred practice and leadership we have developed here in the city.
The council is already playing a leading role in shaping the national Families First reforms, which aim to help children stay safely with their families wherever possible, strengthening family networks, helping children come home when appropriate, and ensuring children remain safe and connected to their communities.
The national recognition of York’s work with children, young people and families follows a successful summer for York’s young people, with pupils in the city once again achieving some of the best Key Stage 4 and A Level results in the country.