Right now, vulnerable children in Sefton are at greater risk of harm than they were 10 years ago.
Ofsted have rated Children’s Social Services in Sefton as inadequate, the lowest possible rating, and the situation is so bad that the Secretary of State has appointed a commissioner to oversee the necessary improvements.
Prior to this, provision for children with special educational needs was also rated as inadequate.
All of this is a direct consequence of Labour running Sefton Council for more than a decade. The Labour leadership have failed our most vulnerable children and Ofsted have criticised the leadership of Sefton Council for their multiple failings.
Since Labour came into power in Sefton:
- Children’s Social Services has gone from being satisfactory to inadequate, the lowest possible rating.
- Vulnerable children in Sefton are at greater risk as a result of Labour’s failings.
- There is such little faith in the abilities of the Labour leadership that a commissioner has been appointed to oversee the change needed.
- The budget for the department has not been adequately managed and we now have projected overspends of many millions of pounds.
At many council meetings Conservatives in Sefton have led the way in holding Labour to account and ensuring that Labour do not get away with letting down our looked after children.
We are the only party who have put forward multiple motions to improve the situation. This has included suggested changes to the Overview & Scrutiny committee, which is still Labour run and effectively means Labour get to mark their own homework.
We also suggested a cut in councillor’s allowances to fund more changes, such as higher education bursaries for care leavers. Labour councillors preferred to protect their own allowances than provide more financial support.
Even now Ofsted, in their most recent report, have said the “pace of improvement for children who need permanence is too slow” and “too many children continue to experience drift and delay.”
Labour simply refuse to accept responsibility, it is always someone else’s fault. This is unacceptable and shows a real lack of leadership.
We need change in Sefton and at the next set of Local Elections in May 2024, I ask that you lend us your vote to send Labour a message that this kind of failure will not be tolerated and that the children of Sefton deserve better.
Children only have one childhood, don’t let Labour ruin anymore.
