A DAMNING report has found that a children's centre on Portland is failing to help the most vulnerable groups in the area it serves.

An Ofsted inspection has revealed that both the overall effectiveness of Outlooks Children’s Centre and its capacity for sustained improvement is ‘inadequate’.

The report found that – despite the good levels of care provided at the Castle Road centre’s on-site crèche, enthusiastic and committed staff and regular organised sessions for parents and children – there were ‘several significant weaknesses’ in its overall service.

An inspector, who visited the site in June this year and has just published her findings, reported that: “The centre leaders do not have sufficient information about the most vulnerable groups in the centre’s area and their specific needs.

“Data are not used by the centre well enough, to measure and demonstrate the extent to which its services reach the most vulnerable groups and those at greatest risk of exclusion.

“The centre does not effectively target its services to support families living in the locality who need the help most, including teenage parents.”

The centre was assessed on the way it improved the well-being of children and helped with access to early childhood services so parents, prospective parents and young children could benefit from them.

The inspector acknowledged that the recently-appointed centre leader Jill Cooley was using her experience to promote inter-agency working but warned that at ‘a more strategic level’ the centre’s work with other agencies and partners was ‘underdeveloped’.

A key concern was that the centre leaders do not draw upon the health visitors’ knowledge of the area or use information that the local authority and health service hold to target its work at ‘the most needy children and families in the area’ who need support and help the most.

Another worry was that the local authority has not set up the necessary arrangements for governing the centre, to make sure that it provides the support it should and that it was making a real difference to people’s lives.

‘Inadequate’ judgement was also put down to the fact that the centre's leaders do not have systems set up to review its work.

A spokesman for Dorset County Council and Action for Children said: “The results of the Ofsted inspection have highlighted the need to review certain work practices at Outlooks Children’s Centre.

“We are already working together to make the necessary improvements and changes to ensure we meet the needs of the families we work with.

“Since the inspection, the centre has set up an advisory board to ensure local organisations work together more effectively.

“We are currently creating an action plan to improve links with the local health service to improve outcomes for children and families, particularly teenage parents.”