Darlington Borough Council: local authority assessment

Published: 30 May 2025 Page last updated: 30 May 2025

Learning, improvement and innovation

Score: 3

3 - Evidence shows a good standard

The local authority commitment

We focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across our organisation and the local system. We encourage creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. We actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.

Key findings for this quality statement

Local authority staff had ongoing access to learning and support so care and support was delivered safely and effectively. The development of staff was a clear focus for leaders. Practice support forums and validation forums were used to support and standardise practice alongside case audits and other support. The local authority demonstrated a strong understanding of the legal and practice-based context of social work relating to the Care Act. In September 2023, they produced guidance on validation and practice forums, which was last reviewed in April 2024. These forums were held fortnightly to promote good practice and support staff with complex cases.

They showed commitment to involving people in its work, and partners appreciated the local authority’s leadership on this. They used the Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) approach and aimed to build on good examples of co-production. The Engagement and Co-production Stronger Together Strategy (2024-2028) outlined the local authority's approach to involving people as equal partners in service development and quality improvements. Although people said co-production was strong around ten years ago people said it had declined since then.

The Safeguarding Annual Report highlighted the Darlington Safeguarding Partnership's multi-agency courses and learning opportunities. People with lived experience co-produced the Learning Disability Network meeting, which focused on a learning disability agenda and was chaired by members from a VCSE organisation. The local authority shared policies and procedures with individuals with lived experience through networks like the learning impairment network.

Training on dual sensory loss and strength-based work in frontline teams had been offered, along with advice and information on the intranet and grab sheets. A thematic briefing on self-neglect included two adult learning lesson reviews. The document contained links to useful information and resources for staff to enhance their knowledge.

Staff said training enabled them to work with diverse communities. They received training from an anti-racist expert on intersectionality, white privilege, and cultural consciousness, and used the making every contact count approach when working with diverse communities, including providing relevant information to people from the Gypsy, Romany, and Traveller communities.

In their self-assessment, the local authority stated plans to embed their priorities in the Equality Plan, refresh strategies, policies, and procedures to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, deliver mandatory staff training, and encourage diversity in recruitment. Leaders described the internal system and a collective endeavour. The local authority's Adult Social Care Workforce development plan aligned with their strength-based practice framework, with an annual training needs analysis and a workforce development team to ensure consistent learning. The local authority said improvement plans and good practice was shared across the workforce, which we found during the assessment.

Partners said there was a lack of coproduction with individuals with lived experience, contributing to the homeless strategy and reported limited involvement in co-production or strategy development with adult social care. Leaders and staff were committed to designing services around people's needs, engaging with community groups, and establishing a listening group to gather views and share development plans, however plans were in place to develop engagement and coproduction further.

Staff said the local authority was a good place to work, highlighting positive relationships and career progression, including apprenticeships and the step-up to social work program. Staff who had worked elsewhere said they appreciated the good workplace support and feeling looked after, heard, and listened to. Supervision was always available, and there was a focus on wellbeing, with measures to get support if overwhelmed.