EDUCATION watchdog Ofsted has praised the “strong and resilient senior leadership” of children’s services in Kirklees following an inspection in June.

And whilst the authority is graded as still requiring improvement in four key areas it is no longer rated inadequate with inspector Lisa Summers reporting “no widespread or serious failures” that leave children at risk of harm.

The findings have been described as “an important milestone” for Kirklees, which, in November 2016, received a damning 38-page inspection report that led to government intervention.

However the new 13-page report, which followed an inspection on June 10 and 21, also says:

Some children, young people and families are not receiving good help, protection and care.

Some social workers are facing “challenging” caseloads.

There are delays in achieving permanence for some children.

Management oversight, challenge and supervision “are not sufficiently robust”.

Senior managers were not aware of the deterioration in services for children who are privately fostered and those at risk from professionals where allegations have been made.

The recording of data was inefficient.

A stronger focus was needed on children who go missing from home.

It adds that instability in staffing along with a lack of consistent and effective leadership has impeded the pace of improvement. This was not assisted by four changes of Director of Children’s Services in “a short period of time”.

But the inspector highlighted what she described as “a renewed energy and determination” since the appointment, last December, of new director Mel Meggs.

She joined Kirklees from Rotherham, where she had been Deputy Director of Children’s Services.

She said senior managers had worked hard to build trusting relationships, staff stability had improved and the council had recruited and retained social workers, resulting in “a significant reduction” in the dependency on agency staff.

She added that morale had “significantly improved”.

Reacting to publication of the report Kirklees Council Leader, Clr Shabir Pandor, described it as “excellent news”.

He commented: “These improvements are down to strong leadership and staff who work tirelessly to help our children and young people.

“My ambition is for Kirklees Council to have one of the best Children’s Services in the country and the progress we have made is moving us in that direction.”

Ms Meggs said Ofsted had recognised “the real progress” that had been made across the board by staff and partners and that that put the council in a strong position to continue its improvement programme.

But she conceded that more work was needed.

“The Ofsted report also outlines a number of areas for further improvement, which is reflected in the judgement of ‘requires improvement to be good’.

“We are already making good progress with these changes and our ambition is to be judged outstanding in the next Ofsted inspection.

“We have a dedicated and hard-working team who care passionately about those they care for and support. It is thanks to them that we are seeing the steady improvements we are making.”

Clr Viv Kendrick, Cabinet member for Children, said: “This is an important milestone for Kirklees.

“Ofsted have highlighted the strides we have made and commented on the much improved standards that I see on a daily basis.

“Improvements have been made, but we must never be complacent and must never stop aiming to achieve the highest standards of care and support for those who need our help the most.

“The Ofsted report highlights issues as well as achievements and we will address them.”

Ofsted’s 2016 report said services for vulnerable children in Kirklees were “inadequate, due to serious widespread failures which result in some children not being protected or having their needs met.”

It revealed that the Kirklees Safeguarding Children Board raised the alarm about social work standards in August 2015, prompting then-chief executive Adrian Lythgo to launch an independent review.

A review of 226 cases found 10% were of concern, with urgent action required to help some children.

Since 2014 senior figures in the children’s services team have been replaced.

Children’s Services staff on Kirklees Council worked closely with West Yorkshire Police on its investigation into allegations of historic grooming and child sexual abuse in Huddersfield.

That investigation, dubbed Operation Tendersea, led to the conviction and jailing of 20 men at Leeds Crown Court last year.