The new initiative will see four inspectorates – Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and HM Inspectorate of Probation – working together.
From February, the four bodies will jointly assess how local authorities, police, health, probation and youth offending services are working together in an area to identify, support and protect vulnerable children.
The first full inspections – entitled Joint Targeted Area Inspections of services for vulnerable children and young people – are to be completed by this summer. These are to focus on children missing from the school system, care and from home as well as those at risk of sexual exploitation.
Ofsted’s national director for social care, Eleanor Schooling, said: “The responsibility of safeguarding cannot rest with one agency alone. These new inspections will provide a comprehensive picture of how several agencies work together in an area to ensure children are safe.
“The joint approach will allow us to act swiftly where we are concerned about specific issues in an area so we can ensure that every agency is doing its part.
“Equally, it will give us an important opportunity to look at good practice and really understand how local areas are tackling the challenges they face.”
From February, Ofsted will also be able to carry out its own targeted inspections Local Safeguarding Children Boards alongside current inspections of local authorities.