CHILDREN’S services on Wearside are making ‘sustained progress’ under a new management company, Ofsted inspectors have said.

It is the education watchdog’s second visit to Together for Children, the company formed to take over the management of children’s services in Sunderland in April this year.

Services were judged to be inadequate in July 2015, the inspectors have now reported that the company is “making sustained progress in improving services for children in need of help and protection”.

The visit, in mid-October, reviewed progress since the last inspection with regards to help and protection, in particular the contact, referral and assessment arrangements for children, young people and their families.

Fiona Millns, who led the inspection team, said: “There is evidence of progress in many areas including timeliness of decision-making on contacts and referrals, improved management oversight and better staff stability in some teams.

“Clear strategies are being developed to address practice and support staff recruitment.”

Inspectors focussed on areas including initial responses to children in need of help and protection including early help, assessment of risk, management decision-making, oversight and supervision, information sharing and partnership working.

During the visit inspectors scrutinised records, conducted interviews with social workers, managers and partnership organisations and reviewed data, audits and records.

Deborah Jenkins, chairman of the Together for Children board, said: “It is encouraging that the progress we have made since becoming operational as a new company in April has been recognised by Ofsted.

“The ongoing efforts of staff from across the company are ensuring that the organisation is taking steady strides in the right direction. I’m pleased to see our progress to date and confident that the company will continue on this upward trajectory.”

Councillor Harry Trueman, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “As a council, we are continuing to work hard in partnership with Together for Children to better our children’s services.”