BOSSES have described the launch of Sandwell Children’s Trust as a ‘new era’ for the council’s failing children’s services.

Slammed as ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2015, the Sandwell Council-run department was placed into special measures.

After no improvements were made, plans were announced by the Government in October 2016 to introduce an independent trust to run the borough’s children’s social care services.

Since then, the local authority has been working with the Department for Education to set up Sandwell Children’s Trust, which was officially launched on Sunday (April 1) after staff moved into their new headquarters at the Wellman Building in Dudley Road, Oldbury.

Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who has been appointed to the role of trust chairman, said it mark's a 'new era' for children's services, adding: “The creation of the Sandwell Children’s Trust offers a crucial opportunity to improve the services that we offer to the most vulnerable children and families in Sandwell.

“When life gets tough for children, they deserve the best care and the best people to support them.

“We’ve worked with staff to set a clear purpose – improving the lives of children and young people.

“This means getting the basics right; listening to children and young people; innovating where possible and using the freedoms of the new trust model to develop stronger and more effective services and partnerships.”

She added: “I’d like to thank the council for the hard work that has gone into setting up the trust during the past 18 months.

“I believe we have put together an excellent team that is capable of delivering a service the young people in Sandwell deserve – but now is the time to get down to work.”

A new report published by Ofsted earlier this year (January 29) said there were “widespread and serious failures” in the department, with inspectors concluding that most of the recommendations made in 2015 had not been fully met, while some services had got even worse.

It was also said that the pace of change to address service deficits has been “too slow”, with the speed of service improvement only coming in the months before the inspection following the appointment of a new senior management team and the imminent launch of the children’s trust.

After the report was released, Ms Smith, a former Redditch MP, said: “We are under no illusions about the size of the challenge ahead of us.”

A spokesman for Sandwell Council, which retains statutory responsibility for children’s services in the borough, said the local authority will continue to work closely with the trust while “monitoring the progress made”.