Ofsted feedback on Children's Services

Photograph of a child sitting on a sofa talking to adult

Our children's services are inspected by Ofsted. They provide an independent assessment of the quality and standards of services we provide for children in need of help and protection, children in care, and care leavers.

Ofsted inspected our children services in November 2022 and published their report in January 2023. We are rated Good in all areas, and the report recognised that we have transformed our children's services.

Download the '07 November 2022 Children's services inspection' (PDF) report from the Ofsted website.

You can also see all previous Ofsted reports about Norfolk Children's Services on the Ofsted website.

Key highlights from the latest report:

Children in care in Norfolk are provided with 'exceptional services by compassionate, warm and committed workers and carers' who demonstrate real insight into their needs and respond well to them through a wide range of effective services.
Children's participation is encouraged and is one of our particular strengths, with 'children's voices, wishes and feelings shining brightly through case records, especially in case summaries'.
Working in Norfolk you will be empowered to be tenacious and creative in using a range of tools and theoretical frameworks to help children through significant and traumatic experiences.
Personal advisers and social workers have caseloads which 'enable them to build enduring and effective relationships with their young people and support them into adulthood'.
Our support to our care leavers was found to demonstrate 'exemplary practice, securing positive outcomes for many of these young people'.
Relationship-based partnership working is one of our strengths in Norfolk with an innovative system-wide approach to the delivery of services and a diverse range of multi-agency support services focused on building resilience and ensuring that needs are met quickly and at the lowest level.
Our executive director of children's services (DCS) Sara Tough is an exemplary leader who champions the needs of children and young people with a strong senior management team who together provide continuity of management and strategic direction.
Children's voices, wishes and feelings shine brightly through case records
Skilful and creative direct work is conducted by social workers who help children to understand their situations and say what they believe needs to happen for them to be happier and safer.
Children in care in Norfolk are provided with exceptional services by compassionate, warm and committed workers and carers.
Workers and carers are highly committed to the children they work with and demonstrate real insight into their needs, which are well responded to through a wide range of effective services.
Children are well supported by workers who are tenacious and creative in using a range of tools and theoretical frameworks to help them through significant and traumatic experiences.