Children's Social Services 'Deteriorating'

Children's services across England deteriorated last year, and remains the worst performing area of councils' work, according to a new assessment published today.

The Audit Commission, which produces an annual rating system for all English county councils and unitary authorities, found Haringey – where the Baby P scandal took place – was among four councils to go from a three-star rating to one.

The other councils, which received one star, for "inadequate", were Surrey, Doncaster and Milton Keynes.

The number of councils achieving the full four stars also fell overall from with Camden, Corporation of London, Gateshead, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and York still in that bracket.

CPA ends this year with 62 councils achieving 4 star status, having started in 2002 with just 22. This year's total is a record over the life of CPA, which has also seen 30 of the 149 councils make substantial improvements and leap two or more star categories.

This is the last ever round of CPA, so published alongside the 2008 report today is a special publication 'Final Score' giving an in-depth retrospective look at local government performance and the impact of CPA over its seven years.

Christine Gilbert, chief inspector of Ofsted – one of the agencies used by the Commission in its studies - explained why the four authorities received just one star.

"We felt the arrangements in place weren't secure enough to give us confidence that children – mostly vulnerable children, and those in care – could grow up and thrive in those area," she said.

"The sort of things that were missing good systems for tracking progress, and sometimes there weren't safe recruitment processes in place, prudent checks weren't in place."

Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said she was "concerned" by the results, published in the Audit Commission's annual Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA).

Children's services standard's came under scrutiny when the Baby P case came to light last year.

The toddler suffered more than 50 injuries by the time of his death in August 2007, despite numerous visits by social workers who failed to raise the alarm.

Haringey council Leader Claire Kober responded to the one-star rating by saying: "We accept that things went badly wrong with child protection. We are committed to making things right.

"We need to make major changes in this area. We have started that process, and I am determined to drive through the changes needed."

(JM/BMcC)