Annual Performance Assessment of Children's Services

The Annual Performance Assessment (APA) of Children's Services is the yearly inspection by central government of the performance of the Children's Services within the Council.   The APA is one of the inspection requirements on Local Authorities resulting from the Children Act 2004 and the Every Child Matters programme.  The APA is intended to monitor how services within the Council and the Partner Agencies included under the 'Duty to Co-operate' are working together to improve outcomes for children locally focusing on the extent to which children and young people are healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well being.  Particular focus is also given to contribution of the Council's Services in maintaining and improving outcomes for children and young people and the Council's capacity to improve, including the management of services for children and young people.

 The APA results give a position statement in relation to the Council's Children's Services that is considered in annual priorities meetings with central government.  The rating awarded for the APA will be used for the Children and Young People's block of the Audit Commission's comprehensive performance of Local Authority services. The findings of the APA also contribute significantly to the scoping of subsequent inspections of Children's Services.

An Action Plan to address the recommendations from the APA is in place and is taken forward by RBWM's Children's Trust, which has membership from all services and organisations involved in delivering Children's Services locally. 

These letters summarise the findings of the annual performance assessments for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

•   APA Letter 2005 (pdf 73KB)

•   APA Letter 2007 (pdf 77KB)