Guidance

Joint inspections of arrangements and services for children in need of help and protection

Framework and guidance for joint targeted area inspections of local area services.

• From: Ofsted, Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary
• Published: 14 January 2016
• Last updated: 17 July 2019
  Show all updates

  1. 17 July 2019

     The notification for all joint targeted area inspections has changed to 10 working days before fieldwork. This replaces the earlier arrangements where notification timescales were 9 or 10 days depending on the deep dive theme.

  2. 16 May 2019

     Added updated document - a summary of changes is included at the end of the framework.

  3. 24 August 2018

     Guidance updated throughout. We will not always inspect the NPS, CRC and YOT on a joint targeted area inspection: this will depend on the particular deep dive theme. In the section ‘overview of this inspection’ the way we number working days for the inspection has changed: inspection notification is now day 1 rather than day 0. We may bring forward the notification of a JTAI from Tuesday (day 1) to Monday (day 0), depending on the deep dive theme. We have updated guidance to inspectors on how they arrange to speak with children and their families. The flow chart in Annex A has been revised for clarity, and we have deleted Annex B: the inspection notification email.

  4. 12 January 2018

     Updated guidance throughout: please see the end of the document for a full list of changes.

  5. 18 April 2017

     Slightly revised changes are summarised at the end of the framework.

  6. 10 August 2016

     August 2016 version includes updates to: the guidance on report writing, action plan arrangements and complaints procedure; and the report quality assurance timeline.

  7. 14 January 2016

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Joint inspections of arrangements and services for children - inspection framework and guidance

PDF, 5.98 MB, 36 pages

Joint inspections of arrangements and services for children - inspection framework and guidance

MS Word Document, 1.39 MB

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Details

Joint targeted area inspections are carried out by:

• Ofsted
• Care Quality Commission
• Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary
• Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation

Local Safeguarding Children Boards and member agencies can use this guidance to understand how inspections are conducted. They may also find it useful when carrying out self evaluations or improvement planning.

View ‘How to use the local authority inspection sharing site’ for guidance on how to share information with the inspectorates for a JTAI.