A high-ranking official appointed by the Department for Education has praised the rapid improvement recognised by Ofsted earlier this month.
Anthony Douglas CBE was appointed Commissioner by the Department for Education in 2022 to oversee the improvement work at North East Lincolnshire Council, and has since repeatedly praised the speed at which improvement work has taken place at the authority.
Following the announcement of Ofsted’s latest findings following a full inspection carried out in July, Mr Douglas addressed Councillors at a Council meeting in Grimsby Town Hall’s 200-year-old Chamber, describing what he called “one of the fastest improvement journeys in the history of children’s social care services in England.”
Mr Douglas had previously spoken publicly about the level of improvement that had taken place in the borough: “What we’ve seen in North East Lincolnshire is a sea change here in ownership, positive impact and fast, sustained improvement.
“For me, it has been a privilege to work with exceptional leaders, all council members, front-line staff and partners. The vision is inspirational, and the intensive effort needed day-in, day-out to realise that vision cannot be underestimated.
“You are outstanding leaders and champions for your young people with the service unrecognisable from what it was.”
The Commissioner, who was heavily involved in the transformation of the service, told Councillors about the work that had gone into the improvement work, listing many of the roles that had been instrumental, from business support officers to social workers and foster carers.
Thanking Mr Douglas for his support throughout the process, portfolio holder for children and education, Councillor Margaret Cracknell said:
“I think we all found a great deal to be proud of in the latest Ofsted inspection report, from the transformation of services to the support of our partners and our community.
“Without a doubt, however, the driving force behind much of this change has been the leadership of the service, and Anthony has proved to be a key part of that, so I’d like to place on the record my thanks to him for his support over the last 3-years.
“The progress made here is unheard of and the Commissioner’s words support that. The culture change is pronounced, so too is the investment in the workforce where the care of children and young people is paramount.
“We know that the improvement work doesn’t end here. This is effectively a journey without end because we must continue, constantly, to improve our services so we can ensure that children, young people and their families are supported as much as possible.”
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