SOCIAL care services provided by Brighton and Hove City Council have been judged good by Ofsted for the first time.

Inspectors carried out a three-week assessment last month.

They found:

Children in need of early help and children in need of protection receive prompt and appropriate support

Social workers are tenacious in seeking to build meaningful relationships with children

Social workers’ morale is high and they enjoy working there

They and their managers are aspirational for the children in their care and demonstrate a strong focus on improving their experiences and results

Young people have good access to a range of housing and living options.

The council’s families, children and learning team has worked effectively to improve services with strong cross-party political support

The team provides a joined-up response to the needs of vulnerable children and families.

Pinaki Ghoshal, executive director of families, children and learning, said: “Our social care culture focuses on developing strong relationships with children and their families, listening, learning and guarding against complacency.

“We have put in place robust performance management and quality assurance arrangements.

“We’re also engaging better with parents, children and young people and taking their feedback into account when we change things.

“We have a great team in place here.

“All our staff are committed to giving the children and young people they work with the very best start in their lives.”

Councillor Dan Chapman, chairman of children, young people and skills committee, said: “We’ve made a number of improvements to our children’s social care services in recent years, and I’m delighted that Ofsted has acknowledged this.

“Above all, I’m thrilled that the commitment and tenacity of our social work teams has been so clearly recognised.”