- Ofsted confirms plans to change inspections of local
authorities' children's services (ILACS)
in 2026 and 2027, including removal of overall effectiveness
judgement from April 2026.
- Updates to ILACS
framework planned to align inspections with broader reforms of
children's social care.
- Ofsted to consult on significant changes to inspections in
2026, with a renewed children and families services framework
planned for 2027.
From April 2026, the inspectorate will remove the overall
effectiveness judgement in ILACS.
The move follows the response to the Big
Listenconsultation and Ofsted's commitment to making
inspections fairer, including by removing overall effectiveness
grades across all remits it inspects and regulates.
Ofsted has also announced revisions to the ILACS
framework from April 2026, to align inspections with the broader
reforms happening across children's social care. These changes
will ensure inspections reflect the changing expectations on
children's services, which include a greater focus on supporting
children and their families to stay together, get the help they
need, be safe and have stable and loving homes.
Ofsted will also provide further training for ILACS
inspectors to support their understanding of sector reforms and
how they impact on their work. The creation of an advisory
reference group – bringing together National Advisors, nominated
sector experts and representatives from pathfinder local
authorities – will help deliver inspector training and provide
valuable insight during this period of inspection improvement.
Consultation
Ofsted has also announced more significant plans to reform how it
evaluates and reports on local children's services. In 2026,
Ofsted will consult with children, professionals and local
leaders on proposals to develop a renewed children and families
services framework to be introduced in 2027.
His Majesty's Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver said:
During the Big Listen, social care professionals were
consistently positive about our inspections but told us that
single-word overall effectiveness judgements over-simplified the
complexities of their work. I committed to reforming children's
social care inspections to raise standards and to do right by
children and the professionals that support them. The removal of
the headline judgement in ILACS
is a significant first step in fulfilling this commitment.
We know that most children are best served by remaining safely
within a loving, supportive family. The move to Family Help,
including early help and prevention, is a key focus of the wider
reforms happening across children's social care. It is important
that our inspections reflect this and I look forward to speaking
more about the updates we will be making to our framework in
2026.
Looking further ahead, we will build on our strong, existing
foundations, to bring the best of ILACS
into a renewed framework to be introduced in 2027. I look forward
to hearing from children, professionals and local leaders as we
develop our plans next year.
