Ofsted rates West Sussex’s Children’s Services as ‘Good’ in all areas
At West Sussex County Council our Children’s Services have received our strongest ever Ofsted inspection results, with a rating of ‘good’ in each of the four areas assessed. The findings recognise the support children and young people receive, alongside the dedication of the people who care for them.
For our fostering community, there is particular reason to celebrate. The findings highlight the strong sense of belonging children experience in their foster families, the lasting relationships they build and the support that helps carers meet their needs.
Recognising the difference foster families make
Among the findings highlighted in the report were these positive comments about children’s experiences of foster care:
“Children experience a strong sense of belonging in their foster families and are supported to enjoy family life and benefit from enduring relationships with their carers.”
This recognition puts children’s relationships and everyday family life at the heart of the good news. It celebrates the sense of belonging foster families provide and the enduring connections that matter so much to both our children and our carers. This supports our ambition as a Fostering & Kinship Service to ensure that all of our children leave care with ‘people’.
The findings also recognise the work that goes into supporting our Foster Carers:
“Foster Carers benefit from effective assessment, training and support that help them to meet children’s needs. Supervising social workers know carers and children well.”
Combined, these findings recognise the commitment of Foster Carers and the fostering team working alongside them.
‘Good’ in every area assessed
Following the inspection in September 2026, Ofsted rated West Sussex County Council ‘good’ in all four areas:
• The impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families.
• The experiences and progress of children who need help and protection.
• The experiences and progress of children in care.
• The experiences and progress of care leavers.
Ofsted no longer gives a single overall judgement for local authority Children’s Services, so these four individual ratings reflect the outcome of the inspection.
Inspectors also recognised trusting relationships between social workers and children, careful consideration of family relationships and significant improvements in support for care leavers. West Sussex County Council was also recognised for the way in which children and young people’s views help shape services, policies and practical improvements.
Putting children and families first
Councillor Sam Raby, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning, welcomed the findings and recognised the dedication of staff across Children’s Services.
He said:
“A huge amount of work has gone into the Service over the last seven years – to take it from inadequate to good – and that’s required huge amounts of hard work, dedication, and change to make sure that what we deliver is what’s really needed by children and their families. It shows that when we get funding from central government every penny is well used and we really deliver quality.”
While there is much to celebrate, the findings also identify areas for further improvement, including transition planning for children approaching adulthood and greater consideration of children’s culture and heritage before they come into care. Our commitment to improving children’s experiences continues.
Thank you to our fostering community
To all our Foster Carers, Supported Lodgings Hosts and Kinship Carers – thank you for the care, commitment and everyday encouragement you give to children and young people. These findings recognise the difference you make and the importance of the relationships you build.
If you have been thinking about fostering, or you are thinking of transferring to Fostering West Sussex, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with our team to explore how you could provide a child with the best possible therapeutic care.
