Ofsted has told Labour-run Ealing Council it must take “urgent action” after inspectors found “weaknesses” in services for children in need of help and protection.
The education and children’s services watchdog said some children were being left vulnerable to abuse or neglect, with some not receiving the right assessments or having serious allegations of abuse appropriately investigated.
Ofsted said: “Too many children are left in situations of unassessed risk of harm, do not receive the right assessments or timely multi-agency responses, or do not have their serious allegations of abuse appropriately investigated. This leaves some children vulnerable to abuse or neglect.”
The findings followed a focused visit to Ealing children’s services on 24 and 25 June 2026.
Unlike a full inspection, the focused visit did not result in a new overall rating. Ealing Council’s children’s services remain rated “good” overall following an inpsection in 2024.
Ofsted inspectors examined how the council responds when children may need help or protection. Most referrals were initially handled promptly, with Ofsted noting improved identification of risks and needs. However, the response became less consistent once cases moved from the Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service to other teams.
In its report, Ofsted said: “A significant number of children and young people do not have their needs met at the right time or at the right level, and some children remain in situations of unassessed risk or without effective help to meet their needs.”
There were significant delays before some child protection strategy discussions took place, while in other cases they were not held at all.
Strategy discussions bring social workers, police, health professionals and other agencies together when there is reason to suspect a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.
Inspectors were particularly concerned about the handling of cases involving sexual abuse and assault.
Ofsted said: “When children have experienced, or may be at risk of, sexual abuse, responses are not consistently robust or effective.”
Medical examinations at sexual assault referral centres were not routinely considered after children disclosed sexual abuse or reported an assault.
Concerns about adults who might pose a sexual risk did not always lead to strategy discussions. Ofsted said children “may continue to have contact with high-risk individuals”, while safety plans were not routinely put in place.
Ofsted said children reporting physical harm or neglect were “not always seen quickly enough”, while an “over-emphasis on parental engagement” sometimes distracted from children’s experiences.
Management oversight and supervision were regular but inconsistent, with “differing recommendations” leaving some social workers unclear about “levels of harm and the action required”.
The watchdog added: “Quality assurance processes have not picked up the full extent of the failings or led to sustained improvement.”
Inspectors identified some strengths, including prompt responses from the council’s emergency duty team and effective joint work with police in some cases. Council leaders also acted during the visit to provide greater protection for individual children identified by inspectors.
Ofsted has informed the Department for Education. Ealing Council must produce an action plan within 70 working days and has been asked to provide an early draft within 20 working days.
Councillor Clare Welsby, leader of the Green group on Ealing Council, said Ofsted’s finding of “significant gaps” in the response to children who may need help or be at risk of harm was of “great concern”.
Councillor Welsby told EALING.NEWS: “Some strengths were highlighted – partnership working with the police, schools and health and the commitment of staff – yet there remain very worrying inconsistencies and gaps.
“Countless inquiries have repeatedly emphasised that keeping the child at the centre of all safeguarding and child protection interventions is essential – as is effective management oversight and supervision. This is not new.
“Whilst there is a focus on new ways of working in Ealing, this report highlights that the fundamentals are not consistently in place. The areas for priority action highlighted must be urgently addressed.”
Councillor Gary Malcolm, leader of Ealing Liberal Democratsl, said: “These delays in addressing the urgent safety of children at risk, together with lack of a consistent, coordinated and joined up approach across the council and its partners exposes the lack of leadership and complacency of Ealing Labour, who have been in power for over sixteen years.”
He added: “Ofsted’s explicit mention a lack of leadership is damning. This shows that the words of Ealing Labour do not translate into action rather they are empty and hollow at the expense of our children and their future.”
Councillor Blerina Hashani, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for a fairer start, told EALING.NEWS: “During a recent focused visit, Ofsted found some areas where our help for children and young people is not yet as consistent as it needs to be.
“We take these findings extremely seriously and we have acted immediately to address the issues identified. We have reviewed cases and put an improvement plan in place, with extra resource and strengthened management oversight.
“The council’s Ofsted rating remains ‘good’ overall and during their recent visit inspectors highlighted examples of strong practice, including specialist support for families experiencing domestic abuse and our collaborative work with partners.
“We will keep working to make sure every child who needs help receives it at the right time, and that we provide a consistently high-quality response at our front door.”
