THE TOWN'S children's services team has made substantial progress since it was slammed by Ofsted inspectors last year, the watchdog has revealed.

Slough Borough Council's children's services department was branded inadequate by education chiefs in 2016 after inspectors found a string of alarming failings.

However, a report published last week shows the authority has made big steps into making vast improvement to the service.

It reads: "The council and the trust are making promising progress from a very low base in improving the experiences of their care leavers.

"In particular, inspectors noted a marked and positive shift in leaders’ shared commitment to these young people.

"Since the inspection, and particularly since summer 2016, the council and the trust have together taken determined steps to raise their ambition for care leavers and to embrace their role as corporate parents.

"This is a substantial shift from the inspection."

Despite the improvements however, the council still needs to make improvements to the service, including making access to health advice more consistent.

Inspectors said care leavers, people who were under the authority's care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14, still require more support.

The report adds: "Local authority data indicates that increasing numbers of care leavers live in suitable accommodation. Bed and breakfast accommodation is not used.

"Slough’s housing team is committed to corporate parenting priorities, and the recently established case-based approach enables housing and trust managers to identify solutions for care leavers whose accommodation is at risk."