The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission of Hackney Council met on Wednesday 09 September 2026 to review the Ofsted inspection report on care leavers and discuss the implementation of the Families First Partnership Programme. The Commission also reviewed its work programme for the upcoming year.

Ofsted Inspection of Support for Care Leavers

The Commission reviewed the findings of a focused Ofsted visit in June 2026 concerning Hackney's care leaver services. The inspection report, published in July 2026, was overwhelmingly positive, noting significant progress in the quality and consistency of support provided to young people leaving care. Ofsted highlighted the strong relational culture underpinned by Hackney's systemic, trauma-informed, and anti-racist approach, and praised the warm, trusting and purposeful relationships care leavers have with practitioners.

Key improvements noted by Ofsted included changes to the housing register, allowing care leavers to join from the age of 18, which has resulted in over 90 new social tenancies secured since January 2025, and a reduction in care leavers living in temporary accommodation. The opening of the new Hackney Care Leavers Hub, Sonder Space, in June 2025, was also highlighted as a positive development, providing a welcoming environment for young people to access support and connect with peers.

However, Ofsted identified two areas for continued improvement: the consistency of supervision provided to practitioners and the provision of health care summaries to care leavers. The council has already begun work on these areas, with updated service plans in place.

During the discussion, councillors raised questions about the accessibility of the Setting Up Home Allowance, the process for allocating named practitioners to young people aged 18-21, and the accessibility of Sonder Space for those living outside Hackney. Officers confirmed that efforts are being made to streamline the allowance process and that all young people are now allocated a named practitioner. They also acknowledged the challenges of engaging care leavers who may not wish to engage with services, and that work is ongoing to make Sonder Space more accessible.

The Commission also discussed the provision of mental health care and support for care leavers, noting the challenges of long waiting lists for therapeutic support and the difficulties in navigating adult mental health services. The council's in-house clinical service and its collaboration with external providers were discussed, alongside the ongoing issue of young people not in education, training, or employment (NEET).

Families First Partnership Programme

The Commission received an update on the implementation of the Families First Partnership Programme, a significant national reform aimed at transforming children's social care by prioritising early intervention and multi-agency collaboration. Hackney has established a neighbourhood-based Family Help service, merging targeted early help and Child in Need services. This new service aims to provide a single, seamless offer to families, with a focus on relationship-based work and reducing the need for families to retell their stories to different professionals.

Key developments include the launch of the new Family Help service across four neighbourhood hubs, the phased implementation of a multi-agency Child Safeguarding Team, and the insourcing of a Family Meeting Service to strengthen family-led decision-making. The council is also establishing a parental advocacy service for child protection conferences and has engaged in extensive co-design with families and voluntary and community sector organisations to ensure services are culturally competent and meet diverse needs.

Challenges in implementation were discussed, including workforce challenges related to recruitment and retention, and the need for continued upskilling of staff. The council is addressing these through various strategies, including an agency-to-permanent recruitment scheme and a retention bonus. A specialist Safer Paths team is being set up to support children at highest risk of extra-familial harm, working with social workers, youth workers, and family practitioners.

The Commission heard about the council's commitment to embedding its systemic, trauma-informed, and anti-racist (STAR) practice model, with comprehensive training programmes being rolled out for staff. The importance of co-design with children, families, and community groups was emphasised, with specific efforts being made to engage with diverse communities, including the Haredi community, through tailored approaches such as one-to-one conversations.

The council is developing a comprehensive evaluation framework to monitor the impact of these reforms, using a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, and is working to establish dashboards for performance monitoring. It is anticipated that the full impact of these changes will be visible within 12 to 18 months.

Work Programme

The Commission reviewed its draft work programme for the upcoming year, noting confirmed items and those still under scoping. The item on Housing Support for Children with SEND has been confirmed for discussion on 12 October 2026. New items being scoped for discussion include Young People's Engagement with Decision Making, Behaviour Management and School Inclusion, NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), and the Impact of Heat and Climate Change on Schools. The Commission also noted that the item on Improving Outcomes for Black Children and Young People will be returned to the agenda once a response is received.

Other Business

The Commission noted the minutes of the previous meeting held on 08 July 2026 and reviewed the action tracker. An update was provided on the response to recommendations for improving outcomes for black children and young people, and a site visit to Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy is being arranged for the autumn. The Commission also discussed plans for the next meeting on 12 October 2026, which will focus on childcare sufficiency, including visits to local nurseries and a focus group with providers.