Children’s services in North Northamptonshire rated good with outstanding leadership following Ofsted inspections

07 July 2026

Children’s Services across North Northamptonshire have received strong Ofsted inspection outcomes, highlighting significant and sustained improvement since 2022. 

North Northamptonshire’s Children’s Services have been rated Good overall, with leadership judged Outstanding, marking a major milestone in their transformation journey.

In 2019, a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government report stated: “Children’s Services in Northamptonshire is now, by any available measure, one of the worst-performing in the country.”

Since then, services have undergone a significant transformation, including the establishment of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust (NCT) in November 2020 to deliver children’s social care and family help on behalf of North and West Northamptonshire Councils.

The latest inspections recognise the impact of ambitious leadership, strong partnership working and sustained investment, which are now delivering improved outcomes for children, young people and families.

This is an amazing outcome. Credit and thanks go to our fantastic workforce and partners who show care and dedication every day, and go above and beyond, to improve the lives of local children and their families. It is wonderful that positive feedback from the children we support has contributed to this outcome. We know there is still much to do, and we will build on this success, and continue to put children and their families at the heart of everything we do.Cllr Elizabeth Wright, Executive Member for Children, Education and Families at North Northamptonshire Council

Ofsted inspectors praised the transformational leadership that has driven improvement at pace and embedded a strong, values-based culture.

Leaders have successfully built a stable, skilled workforce, significantly improving recruitment and retention. This consistency means that “social workers speak warmly of their children and know them well”, reflecting the strength of relationships and continuity of care.

Staff across the Trust described the organisation as being “like a family”, highlighting a motivating and empowering environment. Inspectors found a strong culture of trust, where staff feel valued, listened to and able to influence service development, resulting in a workforce committed to continuous improvement.

The diverse workforce is supported and celebrated, strengthening engagement with children, young people and families across Northamptonshire.

Inspectors highlighted that partnership arrangements have evolved to become embedded, strategic and highly effective, with shared accountability and clear governance.

Close collaboration between Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, the councils, health partners, police, education providers and safeguarding boards has created a more joined-up system focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for children and families.

This is a fantastic achievement and recognition of the enormous progress made by colleagues and partners over recent years. To achieve a Good judgement, with Outstanding leadership, reflects the dedication and commitment of everyone working to improve the lives of children and families across Northamptonshire. We are particularly pleased that Ofsted recognised the strength of relationships between our workforce and the children they support. Our practitioners work hard to build trusted, enduring relationships through consistency, honesty and compassion, and it is encouraging that children themselves spoke positively about the support they receive and the ambition workers have for their futures. While we are proud of this outcome, we remain committed to continuous improvement and will continue working with our partners to ensure every child and young person has the opportunity to thrive.Colin Foster, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust

A key strength identified across both inspections is the quality of relationships workers have with children and young people.

Practitioners build strong, trusting relationships with children and families through persistence, honesty and continuity. This approach enables meaningful engagement and effective support.

Children themselves spoke positively about their experiences, highlighting the support they receive and how workers are ambitious for their futures.

Inspectors recognised that children’s services across Northamptonshire have undergone substantial transformation, moving from services requiring improvement to those delivering consistently good outcomes.

While acknowledging strong progress, Ofsted identified areas for further development, including:

• The quality and consistency of plans for children in need
• Communication of the Local Offer for care-experienced young adults

Inspectors recognised that both areas had already been identified by leaders for development and were pleased that work is already underway to address these priorities as part of the next phase of improvement.

These inspection outcomes represent a significant achievement for Children’s Services across Northamptonshire.

With Outstanding leadership, a stable and committed workforce, and strong partnerships in place, both authorities are well-positioned to build on this progress and continue improving the lives of children, young people and families.

Read the full Ofsted inspection report for NNC here. 

Pictured (l-r) – Cllr Elizabeth Wright Executive member for children and families, Cllr Martin Griffiths Leader of NNC, Cornelia Andrecut director of children’s services, Adele Wylie NNC chief executive, Colin Foster NCT chief executive, Andrew Tagg NCT director of finance, resources and commissioning, Debbie Lloyd NCT director of social care