CALDERDALE Council’s children’s services still need improvement, but are no longer inadequate after January's Ofsted inspection.

A new report, published on Friday, reveals Ofsted’s judgements on three main areas of service: vulnerable children, children in care and overall management.

In each area Ofsted rated the Children’s Services as requiring improvement, but this means that children are not at risk and that the welfare of the children who are looked after by the council is safeguarded.

However, the council is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children, young people and families. The council received an inadequate rating for adoption performance.

During their four-week visit Ofsted inspectors looked at 196 cases and conducted 40 interviews. No children were found to be at risk of harm.

Cllr Colin Raistrick, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services said: “Although there is still room for improvement this is very welcome recognition of all the hard work and dedication of the Children’s Services team and our partners.

“I am pleased with their comments about the work that we do to protect vulnerable children who are at risk of harm, how we work with families when they need help to get back on track and recognise that we are ambitious for the children who we look after.”

The Council’s Children’s Services directorate was first rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2010. The Ofsted judgement means that the Council is no longer in intervention and will be re-inspected as part of the standard three year cycle.