BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’s previously struggling children’s services are steadily improving in some areas according to Ofsted, but there is still room for improvement.

Ofsted rated Buckinghamshire County Council’s (BCC) children’s services as ‘inadequate’ in August 2014, with the report at the time stating failures in safeguarding services as “widespread and serious” and children not being effectively protected.

However, in a monitoring visit letter published on Tuesday, Ofsted said that children’s services in the county were making “steady progress”.

The letter follows the second Ofsted monitoring visit to services for children that BCC is responsible for in November last year.

In a summary of its findings, Ofsted notes that social work practice has improved for children entering care in the last six months and that decisions on kids going into care were timely and appropriate.

However, the letter also states that risk assessments of children in care who are vulnerable to, or at risk of, sexual exploitation are inconsistent and in some cases absent.

In its final evaluation, Ofsted said: “The current leadership team has been effective in achieving improvements in some parts of the service, most notably in the work carried out to strengthen the independent reviewing service, stabilise the workforce, and improve the timeliness and quality of children’s health assessments.”

The inspector added: “Despite evidence of stronger managerial grip in some areas since the last inspection, there remains too much variability for children in care.”

Lin Hazell, cabinet member for children’s services (pictured), said: “Overall we are pleased that Ofsted is seeing continued and sustained improvement in many areas. It’s reassuring that Ofsted recognises how engaged our social workers are with their children. I’m also pleased that it has been noted that the social care leadership team is effective in achieving improvements.

“We are of course aware that there is still much more to do and we all continue to work hard to achieve the level of service that our children and young people deserve.”

David Johnston, managing director for children’s social care and learning, said: “Although considerable work still needs to be done, it’s important to note that we are already implementing changes in many of the areas noted for improvement.”