Improving the way Ofsted inspects children’s social care 2026 (England)

In July 2026, Ofsted published a consultation looking for views on proposals to chanange the inspecting locacl authority children's services (ILACS) framework and the social care common inspection (SCIFF) framework. 

The proposals include 

  • adopting a set of ‘ambitions’ which to use to guide all policy-making for ILACS and SCCIF
  • aligning the frameworks with the goals of the government’s reforms
  • removing judgement headlines 
  • improving the ways they seek the voices of children, young people and families
  • inspecting sufficiency and the use of unregistered provision in ILACS