Tameside council's response to Stockport Council's Ofsted Rating

Stockport was chosen as Tameside's strategic partner last year, to work with Tameside Council on the ongoing work to improve children's services, but Stockport Council have since been graded as 'requires improvement' in Children's Services by Ofsted.

Stockport, whose children’s services were rated as “Good” by Ofsted in 2022, started working closely with Tameside from January 2025.

As a Strategic Improvement Partner Stockport Council would offer support over the next three years to help guide the ongoing improvement journey.

In the latest Ofsted report of Stockport Council for 2025, the authority was graded as 'requires improvement'.

The judgements in the report were: 

• The impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families - Requires improvement to be good
• The experiences and progress of children who need help and protection - Requires improvement to be good
• The experiences and progress of children in care - Requires improvement to be good
• The experiences and progress of care leavers - Good
• Overall effectiveness - Requires improvement to be good

The Ofsted report states: "It became clear across the course of the inspection that leaders were aware of the areas for improvement prior to the inspection. Plans to address several of these areas were appropriately focused to address the deterioration in practice but were not sufficiently progressed to bring about the necessary change in a timely way. Practice weaknesses identified at a focused visit in February 2024 and two internal reviews this year have not been addressed effectively."

The report goes on to suggest improvements for Stockport Council to make:

• The timeliness and monitoring of management decision-making in the MASSH, for strategy discussions, in decisions for children to come into care and securing permanence for children in care. (Outcome one, National Framework)
• The quality of planning to address risk and need for children. (Outcome one, National Framework)
• The effectiveness of practitioners’ responses to neglect, domestic abuse, children living in private fostering arrangements and 16- and 17-year-olds who present as homeless. (Outcome three, National Framework)
• The quality of visits and direct work with children, including completing life-story work for children in care. (Outcome two, National Framework)
• The quality of supervision for social workers and personal advisors so that it is reflective and challenging, considers children and care leavers’ circumstances and provides appropriate direction. (Enabler two, National Framework)
• The quality of management oversight to ensure that frontline practice is robustly scrutinised in a timely manner. (Enabler two, National Framework)

Tameside Council has released a statement in response to their Strategic Improvement Partner, Stockport Council, receiving Ofsted rating of ‘Requires Improvement’.

Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Children and Families, Cllr Teresa Smith said: “We’re getting some fantastic support from the hand-picked team of expert individuals from our strategic improvement partner Stockport, who have made a strong start. The recent Commissioner’s report acknowledges that the establishment of joint Stockport/Tameside review teams has been a positive development, creating an inclusive environment and enhancing skills and review technique. This reflects what a positive relationship we have built here and our openness to develop and improve our ways of working.

“Following Stockport’s Ofsted rating we will continue with the support of the team that have already embedded well here in Tameside and I’m confident an updated arrangement with a new host organisation, as Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to have oversight and support, will enable us to continue to build on this.”

Children's Services Commissioner, Andy Couldrick said: “In my first report, published in September 2024, I recommended the appointment of a Strategic Improvement Partner to work with Tameside to drive and support much-needed improvements in the quality of practice, leadership of practice and partnership working for Tameside’s children, young people and families. This was agreed by the Secretary of State and Stockport MBC was commissioned to host the Improvement Partnership team.

“In May 2025 Stockport had an Ofsted inspection and their overall rating slipped, and so it has been necessary to secure a new host for the team.

“In exploring options, I have been very mindful of two issues. Firstly, in my recent update report I described Tameside has having ‘lost a year’ in terms of improvement, because of the churn and change in the political, corporate and service leadership. This has now settled, and the foundations for improvement are much stronger. However, there is no time to waste now.

“The team dedicated to supporting Tameside comprises staff with significant skills and experience of leading improvement, whether as part of Stockport’s external improvement team or in other local authorities regionally and nationally. They have made a strong start in Tameside and so it is imperative that any change of host enables continuity and consistency in the support provided.

“Starting again, therefore, was not an option. Instead, we looked for a new host organisation which could support and enable the offer to Tameside, maintaining the consistency of staff and the relationships built with staff and leaders in Tameside.

"Greater Manchester Combined Authority has been very supportive and has agreed to step in as the new host for the team.

“I am confident that the team will be able, uninterrupted, to maintain the support to Tameside and, together with Tameside’s new leadership, will secure the improvement that the borough’s children and young people need and deserve. I am very grateful to Stockport for the energy and skill with which they stepped up as Tameside’s partner.”

Stockport Council's children's services full Ofsted report can be found here: files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50282103