Services that help the some of the most vulnerable people in Bromley have been praised again nearly two years after inspectors said there had been a “corporate failure.”

The latest follow up visit has praised the council’s important progress, highlighting the council’s early intervention help and support for children as a “jewel in the crown.”

Inspectors said services provide effective support to families and help parents to understand the needs of their children.

Parents who spoke to the inspectors “unanimously praised” the help they receive and the positive difference that services make to their families.

This was the sixth check up by Ofsted since the disappointing 2016 report, where inspectors said there were “widespread and serious failures” leaving children vulnerable.

Councillor Peter Fortune,  portfolio holder for education, children and families said that the picture of children services in Bromley looks a lot brighter than it did two years ago.

Cllr Fortune said: “It was a surprise in 2016 and I think that was part of the issue. That’s when you have to take responsibility – you can’t plan for success without owning up to what went wrong in the first place and I think we have done that.

“This is all part of the wider commitment to children in Bromley. We have put children’s services at the centre of everything we have done as a council and I think the picture is a lot brighter now because of that.

“It’s a continuing achievement. We were in a place we shouldn't have been but now inspectors keep talking about our improvements – and that is something we are very proud of.”

In a letter following the most recent inspection in March, inspectors said early intervention service as an area of strength with a well-established range of quality family support with good senior management oversight of the quality of practice.

Ade Adetosoye, deputy chief executive and executive director for education, care and health services at Bromley Council said: “We are delighted with these findings which further underline the remarkable turnaround that the Council has made in delivering services to children and families in the borough.

“So much so, that we are now being held up as an exemplar for the quality and delivery of our improvement plan and are being asked to advise other councils finding themselves judged harshly under Ofsted’s extremely stringent inspection regime.

“We remain optimistic that our hard work will be fully recognised as the children of Bromley continue to receive quality services to help them achieve their full potential into the future.”

The council will have one more monitoring visit from Ofsted in the summer, followed by a full inspection.