Decision

Revised direction issued to West Sussex County Council (December 2020)

A revised statutory direction issued to West Sussex County Council due to poor performance in children’s social care services.

Applies to England

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This direction has now closed. A revised direction issued in March 2022 replaces it.

Minister Vicky Ford writes to West Sussex County Council with an accompanying direction.

This revised direction requires West Sussex County Council to:

  • continue taking steps to improve its children’s social care services - this includes co-operating with the Department for Education (DfE) appointed commissioner and officials
  • pause work for 12 months on the setting up of a company to provide children’s social care services, subject to improvement being maintained

This direction follows a second independent report by the Commissioner for Children’s Services in West Sussex published on 10 December 2020, which sets out progress made by the council following a report by Ofsted that judged children’s social care services to be inadequate.

The report sets out that conditions at the council have improved and now support the continued improvement of children’s services.

This direction replaces the revised statutory direction issued to West Sussex County Council in July 2020.

Published 10 December 2020
Last updated 31 March 2022 + show all updates
  1. This direction has now closed. A revised direction issued in March 2022 replaces it.

  2. First published.