• Find a children and families services inspection report
• Understanding a children and families services inspection report
• Types of children and families services Ofsted inspects
• Inspecting children and families services
  • Inspecting children's social care
  • Inspecting Cafcass
  • Inspecting local authority children's services
    • Before a local authority children's services inspection
    • During a local authority children's services inspection
    • After a local authority children's services inspection
• Types of children and families services Ofsted regulates
• Regulating children and families services
• Safeguarding children
• About our survey reports
• How to complain

Inspecting local authority children's services

We have two types of inspections for a local authority.

• Inspections of local authority arrangements for the protection of children: These unannounced inspections look at how effective the child protection service is; and how well the local authority leads its partners in helping and protecting children and young people.

Our inspections of safeguarding and services for looked after children ended in July 2012. For further information go to Inspections of safeguarding and looked after children services: framework for inspection and guidance for local authorities and partners; for the period May to September 2013 we will undertake inspections of local authority services for looked after children under the ‘looked after children’ aspects of this framework. For further information go to the Inspection of services for looked after children page, which has the key inspection documents.

Before an inspection

The Before an inspection page will tell you what happens. It covers issues like: the link inspector; the performance profile; key documents; and user surveys.

During an inspection

The During an inspection page will tell you what happens. It covers activities like: analysing evidence; quality assurance; speaking to users, staff and other interested parties; and looking at case files.

After an inspection

The After an inspection page will tell you what happens. It covers issues like: the inspection report; the inspection findings letter; and feedback.