DfE publishes direction issued to Sunderland city council due to inadequate performance in children's social care services

The Department for Education has published the direction issued to Sunderland city council due to its inadequate performance in children's social care services.

This direction requires the council to:

• engage with Together for Children Sunderland and other partners to improve services
• cooperate with the Secretary of State and DfE’s advisers and officials

It follows:

• an Ofsted report, published on 20 July 2015, which judged the council’s children’s social care services to be inadequate
• a subsequent process of improvement, including development of Together for Children Sunderland

The direction replaces an earlier statutory direction issued to the council on 20 July 2015.