Council has today received an update on Knowsley’s Children’s Social Care improvement journey.
Services were judged to be inadequate by Ofsted in November 2024. An improvement plan was immediately developed and implemented which has resulted in sustained progress being made over the last 12 months and there is measurable improvements in leadership, safeguarding practice, workforce capacity and partnership working.
Other improvements include the continued strong political leadership; leadership and governance has been strengthened; quality assurance processes and practice standards have improved; workforce capacity has increased; and there is a greater emphasis on the voice and experience of children and young people.
Ofsted monitoring visits and a recent Department for Education review confirm that the Council is making progress, although this remains at an early stage, supported by strong leadership and sustained investment.
The Council’s focus is now on embedding consistency of practice across all teams; strengthening workforce stability; and ensuring that improvements translate into sustained, measurable outcomes for children.
Reviews of a number of key services and support have been undertaken including the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub which highlighted areas of good practice and those areas to be improved; a review of homeless young people aged 16-17 years which identified strong, child-focussed practice; and a review of the Children with Disabilities service found improvements have been made.
The recent Department for Education Review in May 2026 noted that the children’s workforce in Knowsley is strongly committed to improving outcomes for children and young people. Since the inspection, significant effort has been made to implement the “Brilliant at the Basics” approach, reflecting a clear focus on strengthening core practice. In addition, the Council continues to demonstrate a firm commitment to maintaining the Children and Young People service as a top priority, there are plans to strengthen the local response to child exploitation and there is clear evidence that corporate leaders and elected members share a strong and consistent commitment to improving the safety, quality, and consistency of services for children, young people, and their families.
Cllr Sean Donnelly, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We are 18 months into our improvement journey and I’m really pleased with the progress we have made to date. We have a truly dedicated and committed workforce, as well as strong partnership arrangements here in Knowsley, and together, we all want the very best for our children and young people, supporting them to get the best start in life and then go on to development, achieve and succeed.
“Whilst we have achieved a lot, we still have a way to go but we are heading in the right direction and our improvement journey continues to be the Council’s top priority.”