Ofsted recognises further progress and positivity in Tameside’s Children’s Services

Tamside Council welcomes Ofsted’s latest monitoring visit letter, which highlights clear and sustained progress in strengthening leadership, stabilising the workforce, and improving the quality of support for children and young people

Ofsted recognised that a “steady pace of progress is helping to embed sustainable change”, while also identifying areas where further development is required. The council acknowledges these areas and is taking appropriate action to address them.

The visit took place in May 2026, and the findings have been published today (22 June 2026).

Since January 2026, Tameside Council’s Children’s Services leadership team has been fully permanent and is continuing to drive improvement at a “steady pace”. Moreover, several service manager posts have now been filled creating “an additional layer of permanent leadership.”

The report highlights that “leaders continue to build the framework to support service improvements for children and young people” with a clear and “shared focus to improvement underpinned by well-targeted improvement planning.” Inspectors noted that leaders have “a good understanding of quality and performance which is used to shape improvement planning” and are taking a “methodical and steady approach” to driving change.

The council’s “corporate parenting board continues to be strengthened”, which is “well attended by partners and attendees” where children and young people regularly have the opportunity to “set the agenda, to chair meetings and share presentations about issues that are important to them.” A new Corporate Parenting Strategy, co-produced with children and young people, “has been developed to better support focus and on-going prioritisation.”

The report acknowledges that “there is sustained progress in stabilising the workforce”, as there is a “reduced use of agency workers, and the workforce is stabilising” and a strong focus on recruitment and retention. A number of agency colleagues have transitioned into permanent roles, reflecting the increasingly positive working environment within the service.

While the report notes that previous high staff turnover has impacted consistency for some children and families, it also recognises that leaders are aware of this and are taking action to improve stability further.

Inspectors highlighted positive feedback from staff about the culture within Children’s Services. As “social workers report that leaders are accessible and visible and they described a tangible difference in the workplace culture since the strategic director of children’s services took up post”. Workers told inspectors that “leaders know them, and their contribution is now valued.”

The report recognises the continued focus on workforce development, “with coaching, training and support, the workforce is being successfully brought on the journey of improvement.” New staff are well supported, with as “social workers have manageable workloads” and appropriate oversight from managers.

The monitoring letter acknowledged the “greater focus on the quality and impact of practice” and how this is “leading to timelier assessments of children’s circumstances.”

Inspectors found that “children’s individual needs and identities are better understood” and more consistently considered in planning, as well as “the quality of assessments is improving.”

“Social workers take time to build relationships and to understand children’s lived experiences”, acting as strong advocates and ensuring that children’s voices are central to decision-making.

This is evident as the report highlights how “social workers speak with fondness and pride about their children, and most know them well.”

Tameside Council’s Executive Leader, Cllr Eleanor Wills said: "We have always been honest that turning our services around would be a journey that will take time.

“Our absolute priority in this path is protecting and supporting children and families through the hard work and commitment of our staff and partners. 

“This is part of our wider commitment to improve every service across the council. We want every resident to feel a positive difference in their lives.

“This journey requires hard work and steady dedication, but we are fully committed to listening to our community and making lasting improvements." 

Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Children and Families, Cllr Teresa Smith said: “I’m pleased to see that Ofsted has recognised the significant progress we have made as we continue to work hard to provide the service our children and families deserve.

“It’s particularly encouraging to see recognition of the pride and commitment our social workers have for the children they support, alongside the positive culture we are continuing to build across Team Tameside.

“I’m proud that colleagues feel valued for their contributions, and that some have chosen to join us from other local authorities or move from agency to permanent roles because of their positive experiences here.

“We are continuing to strengthen our workforce, improve the quality of practice and ensure that children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. Delivering consistent, high-quality services for our families remains our absolute priority.”

Tameside Council’s Director of Children’s Services, Jill Colbert OBE said: “I welcome the findings of this letter, which reassure us that we are continuing to move in the right direction on our improvement journey.

“By working together across the service, we are creating a positive and supportive environment, where colleagues feel valued, listened to and proud of the difference they make for children and young people.

“We are continuing to focus on securing permanence for our children, supported by a strong and increasingly stable workforce that can provide the consistency and quality of practice our children and families need.

“We recognise the areas identified for further improvement and are taking clear and focused action to address them. We remain committed to building on this progress and delivering lasting, meaningful improvements for children and families in Tameside.”