Watchdogs will arrive in Norfolk next week to evaluate whether crucial services for the county's most vulnerable children are good enough.
Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) will visit Norfolk County Council for a two-week period.
The inspection is of huge importance to the Conservative-controlled council, which is looking to show inspectors that essential services have improved after a period of difficulty.
The council's children's services department was rated inadequate in 2013 and 2015, after visits from regulator Ofsted.
Between 2013 and 2017, the department had five different heads, of which three were interims.
Current director Sara Tough took over in 2017 and, after an inspection later that year, the service was judged as requiring improvement - a step up from previous years, with the adoption services rated as outstanding.
In 2019, in a focused inspection, watchdogs said so-called front door services for children had "been transformed", but that 'significant shortfalls' remain in other areas of practice.
A further, two-day focused inspection in 2021 led to praise from inspectors over how most children in care in Norfolk are being looked after.
On that occasion, inspectors said senior leaders "have a coherent vision and are taking action to improve support to children and carers".
November's inspection is a full inspection - the first since 2017 - and the council is hoping to demonstrate further progress has been made.
John Fisher, the council's cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Ofsted will be visiting us for two weeks from Monday, November 6.
"This is a standard inspection and is part of the usual cycle. Our last full inspection of this kind was in 2017.
“The inspection will look at our work to help and protect children, the support for children in and leaving care and our arrangements for achieving permanent care for children, including adoption.
“We look forward to welcoming the inspectors and sharing the progress we have made since the last inspection.”
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