Ofsted inspections of English local authority arrangements for safeguarding/child protection since 2009

I have tried to summarise (from various reports) the results of Ofsted inspections of English local authority arrangements for safeguarding/child protection since 2009.  

Overall there were 153 inspections during the period. Only one resulted in an 'overall' judgement of 'outstanding' and in just over a quarter (27%) the local authority was found to be 'inadequate'. There is no evidence in the figures of the situation improving, because a larger proportion of authorities was found to be inadequate in the period 2012-3 than in the earlier period, 2009-11 - 34% compared with 22%.

Ofsted Inspections of Local Authority Safeguarding/Child Protection Arrangements, 2009-13 (‘Overall’ judgement) No. (%)
	2009 -11	2012-13	Total
Outstanding	1 (1)	0 (0)	1 (1)
Good	24 (28)	7 (10)	31 (20)
Adequate	41 (48)	38 (56)	79 (52)
Inadequate	19 (22)	23 (34)	42 (27)
Total	85 (99)	68 (100)	153 (100)

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/official-statistics-local-authority-childrens-services-inspections-and-outcomes 

The amazing thing about these figures is that is that there is not more said and written about them. I think there would be a public outcry if 25+% of surgeons or 25+% of airlines or 25+% of car breaking systems was rated 'inadequate'.

Maybe people don't really believe Ofsted reports? Or maybe people are prepared to tolerate 'inadequacy' in child protection but not elsewhere?

The other interesting thing is that nowhere does Ofsted really explain why it is finding so many local authorities inadequate. I would have thought that an inspectorate that had looked at 42 'inadequate' organisations would have a good understanding of what causes inadequacy. It is no good just saying 'poor management' or 'flawed systems' or 'poor practice'. To do that doesn't explain, it just re-describes. 

What we need from Ofsted is a good account of why so many authorities are failing its inspections. Perhaps in 2015?