Guidance

Inspecting local authority children's services: single inspection framework guidance

These documents have been withdrawn because they are no longer current.

This publication was withdrawn on

Ofsted has replaced this guidance with a new inspection framework for the inspection of local authority children’s services.

Applies to England

Documents

[Withdrawn] Inspection handbook: inspections of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

[Withdrawn] Will you help us with our inspection Information for children and young people

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Ofsted will use the single inspection framework (SIF) for some re-inspections of inadequate children’s services. From 2018 Ofsted will use a new framework and guidance for most inspections of local authority children’s services (ILACS).

The handbook should be read alongside Ofsted’s single inspection framework.

This page includes ‘Will you help us with our inspection? Information for children and young people’.

Published 23 April 2014
Last updated 29 November 2017 + show all updates
  1. Updates to the inspection handbook: removed sections about the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) review, added guidance on re-inspection and updated Annex A child-level data guidance.

  2. New Annexes E and F; additional guidance on ‘information about the local authority’ within Annex A.

  3. Updated report writing guidance for inspectors (new Annex M); updated terms of reference for the consistency panel para 203 to 211.

  4. Handbook updated to provide guidance on: local authorities who have delegated their functions; scheduling LSCB reviews; inspector deployment and timetable; report writing.

  5. Published changes document with June 2015 changes to the handbook.

  6. Handbook updated: changes outline revised arrangements for the days when inspectors are onsite and provide new tools to help inspectors, local authority and LSCB carry out the inspection more efficiently.

  7. The handbook was updated in December 2014: the changes document explains what was updated.

  8. First published.