Vulnerable children are well cared for and protected by Enfield Council, an Ofsted inspection found.

A report by the education watchdog found leaders in Enfield have a positive impact on the quality of services, that children who need help and protection are well treated and that children in care are well looked after.

The council received Ofsted's second-highest 'good' rating after the two-week inspection during March.

It found that service provision had been strengthened and improved – with cross party support – since the last inspection in 2015.

Enfield Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, Cllr Achilleas Georgiou, said: “This report is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each and every person working with and for children in Enfield Council.

“We are determined to give every child in our borough the opportunity to reach their potential and I am enormously proud that Ofsted have recognised the tremendous work staff have been doing to ensure we achieve that aim.”

The report says the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection is good and children and families receive a comprehensive range of good quality universal and targeted early help services and describes services to families with disabled children as ‘outstanding’.

Staff work effectively with children and families to develop sustainable strategies to improve outcomes for them and the vast majority of children receive an effective, timely, multi-agency response to their needs.

The council has also maintained and improved good quality services for children in its care and benefit from living in a range of high quality placements that meet their individual needs with most children living with matched carers who provide a good range of activities and opportunities that enable them to enjoy life, improve their progress and promote a rounded childhood.

Her Majesty’s Inspector, Tara Geere, said: “Senior leaders, with strong corporate and cross-party political support, have worked effectively to strengthen and improve service provision since the recent focused visit in September 2018 and the previous judgement inspection in 2015.

“Children in need of help and protection, children in care and care leavers in Enfield receive good services.”

Earlier this year Enfield Council invested an additional £600,000 in its children’s social services department to increase the number of social workers supporting vulnerable children and to improve standards of practice.