Ofsted praises Hackney’s care leaver support after two-year turnaround

Hackney’s support for young people leaving care has been transformed over the past two years, Ofsted inspectors reported on 23 July. The findings follow a focused visit in June, two years after the same service was singled out as the weakest part of an otherwise good children’s services department.

Inspectors Monique Lindsay and Mark Scanlon wrote that care leavers in the borough now enjoy “warm and trusting” relationships with practitioners who know them well and maintain consistent contact. Pathway planning was described as thorough, helping young people build independence while retaining support from familiar adults.

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Sonder Space hub praised

The borough’s care leavers’ hub, Sonder Space, received particular praise. Young people told inspectors they feel safe, listened to and respected there. The hub, which opened after Ofsted’s 2024 inspection, was developed with input from two care-experienced ambassadors employed by the council.

Support for former unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people was described as effective, with specialist advisers and dedicated forums. Inspectors also noted strong provision for care leavers who are parents or in custody. The council’s trauma-informed and anti-racist practice model, STAR, was credited with being embedded in staff work rather than an additional demand.

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Labour’s legacy, Greens’ challenge

The improvement was overseen by the Labour administration that lost control of Hackney Council in May’s election. Ofsted’s 2024 inspection rated children’s services good overall but judged care leavers’ experiences and progress as requiring improvement. Two of the three areas flagged then, timely accommodation allocation and response consistency, were not mentioned in this year’s letter.

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, who held the children’s services portfolio until May, and former mayor Caroline Woodley were in post throughout the two-year period. The Greens, led by new mayor Zoë Garbett, took office six weeks before inspectors visited. Cllr Soraya Adejare now holds the children and young people brief.

Jacquie Burke, group director for children and education, remains in her role. Inspectors credited leaders with maintaining care leavers as a strategic priority despite financial pressures and rising demand.

Gaps remain

Inspectors identified two areas for improvement. Supervision is not always held within the council’s own timescales, though no adverse impact on young people was recorded. In 2024, Ofsted had called for clearer direction in supervision to move plans forward.

Health summaries for care leavers were also flagged. Inspectors found young people do not consistently receive a record of their health history, including immunisations and past diagnoses. In 2024, Ofsted had described Hackney’s health summaries as helpful but noted records did not show whether they had been handed over.

A small number of care leavers aged 18 to 21 had not been allocated a named practitioner, a statutory requirement. Managers contacted the young people to assess their needs after the issue was raised during the visit. Some visit records were also not completed promptly.

Housing progress partial

Inspectors noted improvement in housing but stopped short of declaring the issue resolved. In 2024, Ofsted found many care leavers over 21, including young parents, living in temporary accommodation for years, some moved out of borough and losing benefits like council tax exemption and free travel.

The council had planned three measures in 2024: an exemption for care leavers found intentionally homeless, more social care tenancies, and priority housing register banding from age 18. The latest letter does not confirm whether these were implemented.

What happens next

Ofsted’s focused visit does not carry a graded judgement, so the 2024 rating remains unchanged. The findings will feed into a further inspection, though no date has been set. The Greens, who now oversee the service, will need to address the outstanding gaps while building on the progress made under Labour.