Devon County Council chief executive praises Ofsted review

Donna Manson, the chief executive of Devon County Council, described a recent Ofsted monitoring visit regarding the council’s children’s services as being “like winning the World Cup.”

The review noted that the department now largely provides families with a “timely, well-coordinated and increasingly integrated” response. Ofsted acknowledged widespread improvements, noting that leaders have an “accurate understanding of the strengths and remaining inconsistencies” and that frontline workers are helping the majority of children receive appropriate help at the right time.

Despite the positive feedback regarding recent progress and the expansion of targeted early help, the monitoring visit does not change the service’s official rating. The department was previously rated “inadequate” by Ofsted for a second time in May 2025. Manson noted that this was the first report she had received that focused on current successes rather than legacy issues.