Collection

Improvement notices and directions

Improvement notices and directions about children's services issued to councils by the Department for Education.

Published 3 July 2013
Last updated 19 March 2020 — see all updates

• From: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and Department for Education

These notices and directions are issued to councils due to ‘poor’ or ‘inadequate’ performance.

Open notices

The following notices are currently open.

1. Improvement notice issued to Kirklees Council
   • 13 January 2020
   • Decision
2. Improvement notice issued to St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council
   • 20 December 2019
   • Decision
3. Improvement notice issued to North East Lincolnshire Council
   • 18 December 2019
   • Decision
4. Improvement notice issued to Sefton council
   • 25 July 2019
   • Decision
5. Improvement notice issued to Hull city council
   • 27 June 2019
   • Decision
6. Improvement notice issued to Trafford council
   • 23 May 2019
   • Decision
7. Improvement notice issued to Newham council
   • 3 April 2019
   • Decision
8. Improvement notice issued to Bradford council
   • 4 December 2018
   • Decision
9. Improvement notice issued to Gloucestershire county council
   • 20 September 2017
   • Decision

Closed notices

The following notices have been closed.

1. Improvement notice issued to Wirral council
   • 29 July 2019
   • Decision
2. Improvement notice issued to Tameside borough council
   • 1 July 2019
   • Decision
3. Improvement notice issued to Lancashire county council
   • 17 August 2018
   • Decision
4. Improvement notice issued to Darlington borough council
   • 21 May 2018
   • Decision
5. Improvement notice issued to Lambeth London borough council
   • 9 May 2018
   • Decision
6. Improvement notice issued to Manchester city council
   • 21 December 2017
   • Decision
7. Improvement notice issued to Leicester city council
   • 20 November 2017
   • Decision
8. Improvement notice issued to West Berkshire council
   • 27 July 2017
   • Decision
9. Improvement notice issued to Knowsley council
   • 5 July 2017
   • Decision
10. Improvement notice issued to Coventry city council
    • 5 July 2017
    • Decision
11. Improvement notice issued to South Gloucestershire council
    • 29 August 2019
    • Decision
12. Improvement notice issued to West Sussex County Council: closed on 14 May 2013
    • 3 July 2013
    • Decision
13. Improvement notice issued to Salford City Council
    • 7 March 2013
    • Decision
14. Improvement notice issued to Waltham Forest Borough Council
    • 7 March 2013
    • Decision
15. Improvement notice issued to Blackpool Borough Council
    • 19 November 2012
    • Decision
16. Improvement notice issued to Wiltshire Council
    • 15 October 2012
    • Decision
17. Improvement notice issued to Somerset County Council
    • 6 March 2014
    • Decision
18. Improvement notice issued to Rochdale Borough Council
    • 12 September 2014
    • Decision
19. Improvement notice issued to Cambridgeshire County Council
    • 18 September 2014
    • Decision
20. Improvement notice issued to Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
    • 22 September 2014
    • Decision
21. Improvement notice issued to Barnsley council
    • 10 February 2015
    • Decision
22. Improvement notice issued to Bexley council
    • 25 March 2015
    • Decision
23. Improvement notice issued to Herefordshire council
    • 2 April 2015
    • Decision
24. Improvement notice issued to Rochdale council
    • 10 July 2015
    • Decision
25. Improvement notice issued to Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames
    • 16 October 2015
    • Decision
26. Improvement notice issued to Cumbria county council
    • 10 November 2015
    • Decision
27. Improvement notice issued to Cheshire East council
    • 17 December 2015
    • Decision
28. Improvement notice issued to Surrey county council
    • 26 January 2016
    • Decision
29. Improvement notice issued to Devon county council
    • 1 March 2016
    • Decision
30. Improvement notice issued to Wandsworth London borough council
    • 20 July 2018
    • Decision
31. Improvement notice issued to Medway Council
    • 21 May 2014
    • Decision
32. Improvement notice issued to Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
    • 16 July 2014
    • Decision
33. Improvement notice issued to Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
    • 11 September 2014
    • Decision
34. Improvement notice issued to London Borough of Bexley
    • 11 September 2014
    • Decision
35. Improvement notice issued to Cumbria County Council
    • 13 August 2012
    • Decision
36. Improvement notice issued to Calderdale metropolitan borough council
    • 19 April 2012
    • Decision
37. Improvement notice issued to London Borough of Sutton
    • 14 November 2012
    • Decision
38. Improvement notice issued to Birmingham City Council
    • 25 January 2012
    • Decision
39. Improvement notice issued to Slough Borough Council
    • 21 October 2011
    • Decision
40. Improvement notice issued to Gloucestershire County Council
    • 7 June 2011
    • Decision
41. Improvement notice issued to Cheshire West and Chester Council
    • 10 May 2011
    • Decision
42. Improvement notice issued to Kent County Council
    • 8 March 2011
    • Decision
43. Improvement notice issued to Torbay Council
    • 16 February 2011
    • Decision
44. Improvement notice issued to Worcestershire County Council
    • 16 February 2011
    • Decision

Open directions

1. Direction issued to Devon County Council
   • 17 March 2020
   • Decision
2. Direction issued to Kingston upon Hull City Council
   • 16 March 2020
   • Decision
3. Direction issued to Middlesbrough Council
   • 12 March 2020
   • Decision
4. Revised direction issued to Stoke-on-Trent City Council
   • 13 March 2020
   • Decision
5. Revised direction issued to Surrey County Council
   • 4 March 2020
   • Decision
6. Revised direction issued to Torbay Council
   • 6 December 2019
   • Decision
7. Revised direction issued to Medway Council
   • 7 January 2020
   • Decision
8. Revised direction issued to West Sussex County Council
   • 17 December 2019
   • Decision
9. Revised direction issued to Northamptonshire County Council (October 2019)
   • 17 October 2019
   • Decision
10. Revised direction issued to Worcestershire county council
    • 17 September 2019
    • Decision
11. Revised direction issued to Blackpool council
    • 22 July 2019
    • Decision
12. Revised direction issued to Birmingham city council (July 2019)
    • 22 July 2019
    • Decision
13. Revised direction issued to Sandwell Council
    • 15 July 2019
    • Decision
14. Revised direction issued to Wakefield council
    • 13 December 2018
    • Decision
15. Direction issued to Buckinghamshire county council
    • 12 July 2018
    • Decision
16. Revised direction issued to Reading borough council
    • 3 December 2018
    • Decision
17. Direction issued to Sunderland city council
    • 3 April 2017
    • Decision
18. Direction issued to Slough borough council
    • 2 October 2017
    • Decision
19. Direction issued to Doncaster borough council
    • 17 June 2016
    • Decision
20. Slough council children's services: direction to improve
    • 7 October 2014
    • Decision

Closed directions

1. Direction issued to Croydon council
   • 16 March 2020
   • Decision
2. Revised direction issued to Stoke-on-Trent City Council
   • 13 March 2020
   • Decision
3. Revised direction issued to Surrey county council
   • 4 March 2020
   • Decision
4. Revised direction issued to Kirklees council
   • 13 January 2020
   • Decision
5. Revised direction issued to Torbay council
   • 10 January 2020
   • Decision
6. Direction issued to Medway council
   • 10 January 2020
   • Decision
7. Revised direction issued to Worcestershire county council
   • 1 October 2019
   • Decision
8. Revised direction issued to Northamptonshire county council
   • 10 June 2019
   • Decision
9. Direction issued to Stoke-on-Trent city council
   • 13 March 2020
   • Decision
10. Directions issued to Rotherham metropolitan borough council
    • 26 February 2015
    • Decision
11. Direction issued to Slough borough council
    • 30 September 2016
    • Decision
12. Direction issued to Reading borough council
    • 16 September 2016
    • Decision
13. Revised direction issued to Barnet borough council
    • 1 July 2019
    • Decision
14. Direction issued to West Sussex county council
    • 17 December 2019
    • Decision
15. Doncaster children's care: direction for improvement - March 2013
    • 26 March 2013
    • Decision
16. Doncaster children's care: direction for improvement: August 2013
    • 19 August 2013
    • Decision
17. Direction issued to Doncaster metropolitan borough council
    • 19 September 2014
    • Decision
18. Direction issued to Birmingham city council
    • 23 September 2014
    • Decision
19. Rotherham council children’s services: direction to improve
    • 10 October 2014
    • Decision
20. Direction issued to Birmingham city council
    • 16 December 2015
    • Decision
21. Direction issued to Sandwell metropolitan borough council
    • 8 January 2016
    • Decision
22. Direction issued to Norfolk County Council (closed)
    • 8 January 2016
    • Decision
23. Direction issued to Kirklees council
    • 25 January 2018
    • Decision
24. Direction issued to Barnet council
    • 25 January 2018
    • Decision
25. Direction issued to Norfolk county council
    • 19 January 2018
    • Decision
26. Direction issued to Sandwell metropolitan council
    • 6 October 2016
    • Decision
27. Direction issued to Bromley borough council
    • 10 October 2016
    • Decision
28. Direction issued to Birmingham city council
    • 25 November 2016
    • Decision
29. Direction issued to Bromley borough council
    • 28 November 2016
    • Decision
30. Direction issued to Sunderland city council
    • 3 April 2017
    • Decision
31. Revised direction issued to Worcestershire county council
    • 19 September 2017
    • Decision
32. Direction issued to Slough borough council
    • 4 October 2017
    • Decision
33. Direction issued to Torbay council
    • 27 October 2017
    • Decision
34. Direction issued to Worcestershire county council
    • 2 November 2017
    • Decision
35. Direction issued to Northamptonshire county council
    • 18 January 2018
    • Decision
36. Revised direction issued to Birmingham city council
    • 22 July 2019
    • Decision
37. Direction issued to Norfolk county council
    • 8 January 2016
    • Decision
38. Revised direction issued to Torbay council
    • 23 March 2018
    • Decision
39. Direction issued to Birmingham city council
    • 23 March 2018
    • Decision
40. Direction issued to Sandwell metropolitan borough council
    • 23 March 2018
    • Decision
41. Direction issued to London Borough of Croydon
    • 8 May 2018
    • Decision
42. Revised direction issued to Worcestershire county council
    • 3 August 2018
    • Decision
43. Direction issued to Isle of Wight council
    • 8 June 2018
    • Decision
44. Direction issued to Barnet council
    • 27 June 2018
    • Decision
45. Direction issued to Surrey county council
    • 27 June 2018
    • Decision
46. Revised direction issued to Buckinghamshire county council
    • 12 July 2018
    • Decision
47. Direction issued to Northamptonshire county council
    • 30 November 2018
    • Decision
48. Direction issued to Buckinghamshire county council
    • 5 March 2018
    • Decision
49. Direction issued to Cumbria county council
    • 29 January 2018
    • Decision
50. Direction issued to Wakefield council
    • 13 December 2018
    • Decision
51. Direction issued to Calderdale Council
    • 26 January 2016
    • Decision
52. Direction issued to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (closed)
    • 5 April 2016
    • Decision
53. Direction to Bromley borough council
    • 16 June 2016
    • Decision
54. Direction issued to London borough of Croydon council
    • 25 January 2018
    • Decision
55. Direction issued to Somerset county council
    • 29 January 2018
    • Decision
56. Direction issued to Bromley borough council
    • 7 January 2019
    • Decision
57. Direction issued to Tower Hamlets council
    • 22 July 2019
    • Decision
58. Direction issued to Blackpool borough council
    • 22 July 2019
    • Decision
59. Direction issued to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
    • 13 December 2018
    • Decision
60. Revised direction issued to Reading borough council: 2017
    • 3 December 2018
    • Decision

Published 3 July 2013
Last updated 19 March 2020 + show all updates

1. 19 March 2020

   Added new direction to Devon County Council.

2. 16 March 2020

   Added new direction to Middlesbrough Council and one to Hull City Council. Closed direction issued to Croydon council.

3. 13 March 2020

   Added the revised direction issued to Stoke-on-Trent City Council on 13 March 2020. It replaces the previous direction issued in October 2019.

4. 4 March 2020

   Added a revised direction for Surrey County Council to 'open directions' and moved the existing direction to 'closed directions'.

5. 13 January 2020

   Added 'Improvement notice issued to Kirklees Council' and moved 'Revised direction issued to Kirklees council' to closed direction.

6. 10 January 2020

   Added revised statutory directions to Medway Council and Torbay Council. These replace previous directions.

7. 20 December 2019

   Added improvement notice issued to St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council to open notices.

8. 18 December 2019

   Added Improvement notice issued to North East Lincolnshire Council to open notices.

9. 17 December 2019

   Added a revised direction for West Sussex County Council to 'open directions' and moved the existing direction to 'closed directions'.

10. 31 October 2019

    Added the revised direction issued to Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

11. 17 October 2019

    Added a revised direction for Northamptonshire County Council and moved existing direction to closed.

12. 1 October 2019

    Added new direction for Worcestershire county council and moved existing direction to closed.

13. 29 August 2019

    Moved South Gloucestershire improvement notice to closed collection.

14. 27 August 2019

    Added new direction to Medway council.

15. 29 July 2019

    Moved Wirral improvement notice to closed.

16. 25 July 2019

    Added improvement notice issued to Sefton council.

17. 22 July 2019

    Added a revised direction to Blackpool council. This replaces the earlier direction issued in March 2019.

18. 15 July 2019

    Added revised direction issued to Sandwell Council.

19. 1 July 2019

    Moved Barnet borough council revised direction and Tameside borough council improvement notice to closed. Both were lifted on 1 July 2019.

20. 28 June 2019

    Added new improvement notice issued to Hull city council.

21. 10 June 2019

    Added a revised direction issued to Northamptonshire county council.

22. 4 June 2019

    Added new direction to West Sussex county council.

23. 23 May 2019

    Added new improvement notice issued to Trafford council.

24. 16 May 2019

    Added new direction to Stoke-on-Trent city council.

25. 3 April 2019

    Added new improvement notice issued to Newham council.

26. 1 April 2019

    Added new direction for Sandwell metropolitan borough council and moved existing direction to closed.

27. 25 March 2019

    Added new direction to Blackpool borough council.

28. 7 January 2019

    The revised direction issued to Bromley in September 2018 was lifted in January 2019.

29. 13 December 2018

    Moved 'Direction issued to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council' to closed.

30. 13 December 2018

    Added revised direction for Wakefield council, moved previous direction to 'closed directions'.

31. 4 December 2018

    Added new direction to Bradford council.

32. 30 November 2018

    Added new direction to Northamptonshire county council.

33. 31 October 2018

    Added a revised direction for Surrey county council.

34. 22 August 2018

    Added direction issued to Wakefield council

35. 17 August 2018

    Moved 'Notice for Lancashire county council' to closed notices.

36. 3 August 2018

    Added 'Revised direction issued to Worcestershire county council' to open directions.

37. 20 July 2018

    Improvement notice issued to Wandsworth London borough council changed from open to closed

38. 12 July 2018

    Added direction to Buckinghamshire country council and closed previous direction.

39. 27 June 2018

    Added new direction issued to Barnet borough council.

40. 27 June 2018

    Added a new direction for Surrey county council and moved the Surrey county council improvement notice to closed notices.

41. 8 June 2018

    Moved 'direction issued to Isle of Wight council' to closed directions.

42. 25 May 2018

    Added 'Revised direction issued to Worcestershire county council' to 'Open directions'.

43. 21 May 2018

    Improvement notice issued to Darlington borough council moved from open to closed.

44. 9 May 2018

    Improvement notice issued to Lambeth London borough council moved from open to closed.

45. 8 May 2018

    Added a new revised direction for Croydon council, this replaces the direction published on 25 January 2018.

46. 23 March 2018

    Added Torbay and Sandwell to open directions, moved older Torbay direction from 27 October 2017 to closed directions group.

47. 23 March 2018

    Added new revised direction to Torbay council, Birmingham city council, and a new direction to Sandwell metropolitan borough council.

48. 5 March 2018

    Added revised direction issued to Buckinghamshire county council.

49. 29 January 2018

    Somerset county council's direction has closed. Cumbria county council's directions has closed.

50. 25 January 2018

    A direction issued to Barnet council on 25 January 2018 replaces the previous one issued in September 2017.

51. 19 January 2018

    Moved 'direction issued to Norfolk county council' to closed directions.

52. 18 January 2018

    Moved Northamptonshire county council from open to closed sections as it left intervention in May 2016.

53. 21 December 2017

    Moved Manchester city council from open section to closed section.

54. 20 November 2017

    Moved Leicester city council improvement notice to 'closed notices' group.

55. 27 October 2017

    Added a revised direction for Torbay council, this replaces an earlier direction issued in May 2016.

56. 4 October 2017

    Added new direction for Slough borough council, moved previous direction to 'closed directions'.

57. 21 September 2017

    Added revised direction for Worcestershire council and moved the original notice to 'closed directions'.

58. 12 September 2017

    Added directions issued to Reading, Tower Hamlets, Barnet and Bromley borough councils to 'open directions' and moved old directions issued to Reading and Bromley and borough councils to 'closed directions'.

59. 4 September 2017

    Added direction notice for Croydon council.

60. 10 August 2017

    Added improvement notice issued to Gloucestershire county council.

61. 27 July 2017

    Moved West Berkshire council improvement notice to 'closed notices' group.

62. 5 July 2017

    Moved Coventry city council and Knowlsey metropolitan borough council improvement notices from open to closed as the improvement notices were closed on 13 June 2017.

63. 3 April 2017

    Added new direction for Sunderland city council and moved the July 2015 direction to the closed directions list.

64. 13 March 2017

    Added improvement notice for south Gloucestershire county council to open notices.

65. 10 March 2017

    Added direction for Worcestershire county councils.

66. 16 December 2016

    Added new direction for Tameside metropolitan borough council.

67. 28 November 2016

    Added new direction for Bromley borough council and moved the October 2016 direction to the closed directions list.

68. 25 November 2016

    Added new directions to Kirklees council and Birmingham city council to 'Open directions'. Moved Birmingham city council direction from December 2015 to 'Closed directions'.

69. 24 November 2016

    Added new direction for Bromley borough council and moved the June 2016 direction to the closed directions list.

70. 6 October 2016

    Moved January 2016 direction to Sandwell metropolitan borough council to 'closed directions' and added October 2016 direction to Sandwell to 'open directions'.

71. 30 September 2016

    Added improvement notice issued to Wirral council.

72. 30 September 2016

    Added a new direction issued to Slough borough council. Moved September 2015 direction to Slough borough council to 'closed directions'.

73. 16 September 2016

    Added direction to Reading borough council.

74. 15 August 2016

    Added an improvement notice issued to Wandsworth London borough council.

75. 5 August 2016

    Added directions to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Norfolk County Council.

76. 27 June 2016

    Added a direction issued to Bromley borough council.

77. 17 June 2016

    Added new open direction to Doncaster metropolitan borough council.

78. 19 May 2016

    Added an improvement notice issued to Lancashire county council to the open notices section.

79. 12 May 2016

    Added a direction a direction issued to Torbay council.

80. 4 April 2016

    Added a direction issued to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.

81. 1 March 2016

    Moved Devon county council from open to closed notices as the notice was lifted on 29 February 2016.

82. 1 February 2016

    Added improvement notice issued to Surrey county council to open notices group.

83. 28 January 2016

    Added improvement notice issued to Leicester city council to open notices group.

84. 26 January 2016

    Moved 'direction issued to Calderdale Council' to closed directions.

85. 12 January 2016

    Moved 'improvement notice issued to Somerset County Council' from open notices to closed notices.

86. 8 January 2016

    Added new directions issued to Norfolk county council and Sandwell metropolitan council.

87. 18 December 2015

    Added the improvement notice issued to Lambeth borough council on 16 December 2015.

88. 17 December 2015

    Moved Cheshire East council improvement notice from open to closed as the improvement notice was lifted on 16 December.

89. 17 December 2015

    Added a direction issued to Birmingham county council.

90. 14 December 2015

    Added improvement notice issued to Darlington Borough Council.

91. 4 December 2015

    Moved Medway council improvement notice from the open group to the closed group.

92. 10 November 2015

    Added a direction issued to Cumbria county council on 9 November 2015.

93. 6 November 2015

    Added 'Direction issued to Somerset county council'.

94. 16 October 2015

    Moved Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames improvement notice from the open group to the closed group.

95. 1 October 2015

    Added 'Direction issued to Slough borough council'.

96. 26 August 2015

    Added improvement notice for West Berkshire council.

97. 20 July 2015

    Added direction issued to Sunderland city council.

98. 10 July 2015

    Moved Rochdale Council improvement notice from the open group to the closed group.

99. 2 April 2015

    Moved Herefordshire council improvement notice from the open group to the closed group.

100. 25 March 2015

     Moved Bexley council improvement notice from the open group to the closed group.

101. 29 September 2014

     Added improvement notice for Knowsley Council.

102. 23 September 2014

     Added new open direction to Birmingham City Council.

103. 22 September 2014

     Moved Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council from 'open' to 'closed'.

104. 18 September 2014

     Moved the notice for Cambridgeshire from 'open' to 'closed'.

105. 12 September 2014

     Updated an improvement notice to Rochdale Council.

106. 11 September 2014

     Moved Walsall Council notice from 'open' to 'closed'.

107. 11 September 2014

     Added reissued Bexley Council improvement notice.

108. 17 July 2014

     Added notice for Coventry County Council.

109. 24 June 2014

     Added 'Direction issued to Northamptonshire County Council'.

110. 14 January 2014

     Added a direction issued to Norfolk county council.

111. 3 July 2013

     First published.