Government retreats over council’s children’s care trust

Education Secretary Michael Gove ordered all Doncaster Council services relating to children should be run by an independent trust earlier this year following a highly critical report.

However Doncaster raised a string of concerns about the plan, which has now been modified. Most significantly, the council will retain clear legal responsibility for children’s social care.

Ros Jones, Doncaster’s executive mayor, said: “I am pleased the Secretary of State has rephrased his initial views and supports how we would wish to progress his original ‘arm’s-length trust’ proposal.

“Supported by our partners, we put forward a compelling and well thought out case as to why this was the correct approach for transforming how children’s services are delivered across the borough. The model is based on what is right for Doncaster, our residents and most importantly our children and young people.”

Mr Gove’s intervention came after the report found a “culture of failure” that “serves to obstruct every attempt at reform” in Doncaster’s children’s services.

The way Doncaster protects children has been in the spotlight since a highly critical Ofsted report in 2008 and a subsequent inquiry into the deaths of seven youngsters. An attack by two brothers known to social services on two other boys at Edlington in 2009 led to further scrutiny.

Ofsted again described child protection measures as “inadequate” last year.