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| Child social services 'declining' | Child social services 'declining' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Services for vulnerable children in England deteriorated last year and remain the weakest area of councils' work, the Audit Commission has said. | Services for vulnerable children in England deteriorated last year and remain the weakest area of councils' work, the Audit Commission has said. |
| Haringey, where the Baby P scandal took place, was among four councils to go from a three-star rating to one. | Haringey, where the Baby P scandal took place, was among four councils to go from a three-star rating to one. |
| Doncaster, Milton Keynes and Surrey did the same, while only nine authorities achieved the maximum four stars - three fewer than had managed it in 2007. | Doncaster, Milton Keynes and Surrey did the same, while only nine authorities achieved the maximum four stars - three fewer than had managed it in 2007. |
| The decline came amid a backdrop of strong performances in other services. | The decline came amid a backdrop of strong performances in other services. |
| The Audit Commission produces an annual rating system for all English county councils and unitary authorities. | The Audit Commission produces an annual rating system for all English county councils and unitary authorities. |
| Christine Gilbert, chief inspector of Ofsted, one of the agencies used by the Audit Commission in its studies, explained why four authorities had achieved just one star for children's services. | Christine Gilbert, chief inspector of Ofsted, one of the agencies used by the Audit Commission in its studies, explained why four authorities had achieved just one star for children's services. |
| She said: "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 areas. | She said: "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 areas. |
| "The sort of things that were missing were good systems for tracking progress, and sometimes there weren't safe recruitment processes in place, prudent checks weren't in place." | "The sort of things that were missing were good systems for tracking progress, and sometimes there weren't safe recruitment processes in place, prudent checks weren't in place." |
| Those with four stars for children's services, which include child protection, were Camden, Corporation of London, Gateshead, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston-upon-Thames, Richmond, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and York. | Those with four stars for children's services, which include child protection, were Camden, Corporation of London, Gateshead, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston-upon-Thames, Richmond, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and York. |
| Numerous visits | Numerous visits |
| Standards in children's services have come under the spotlight since the case of Baby P came to light last year. | Standards in children's services have come under the spotlight since the case of Baby P 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. | 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] said to each other at the time: unfortunately, as a result of [a new structure] a child will die Sharon Docherty, former child protection manager, Doncaster Council warned 'children would die' class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7926269.stm">How does your council rank? | |
| "We need to make major changes in this area. We have started that process, and I am determined to drive through the changes needed." | "We need to make major changes in this area. We have started that process, and I am determined to drive through the changes needed." |
| Meanwhile, Doncaster - currently the focus of a government-ordered inquiry into its child protection record - was warned youngsters' lives were at risk four years ago, a former manager at the authority said. | Meanwhile, Doncaster - currently the focus of a government-ordered inquiry into its child protection record - was warned youngsters' lives were at risk four years ago, a former manager at the authority said. |
| Serious case reviews have been ordered into the deaths of seven children who died in the borough since 2004 in cases involving abuse or neglect. | Serious case reviews have been ordered into the deaths of seven children who died in the borough since 2004 in cases involving abuse or neglect. |
| But former child protection manager Sharon Docherty said on Wednesday that concerns were raised when senior officers began a radical overhaul of services between 2004 and 2005. | But former child protection manager Sharon Docherty said on Wednesday that concerns were raised when senior officers began a radical overhaul of services between 2004 and 2005. |
| Ms Docherty, who left the council in 2006, told BBC2's Newsnight programme: "When the new structure came out the lines of responsibility, the lines of accountability, the lines of access to support were so fudged so as to be non-existent, certainly as far as frontline workers were concerned." | Ms Docherty, who left the council in 2006, told BBC2's Newsnight programme: "When the new structure came out the lines of responsibility, the lines of accountability, the lines of access to support were so fudged so as to be non-existent, certainly as far as frontline workers were concerned." |
| When asked if she thought this would end up costing lives, she said: "It's actually something colleagues and I said to each other at the time: unfortunately, as a result of this a child will die." | When asked if she thought this would end up costing lives, she said: "It's actually something colleagues and I said to each other at the time: unfortunately, as a result of this a child will die." |
| Criticism | Criticism |
| The BBC's John Andrew said Surrey, one of the wealthiest counties, had dropped two stars because of "serious failings in its services for vulnerable children". | The BBC's John Andrew said Surrey, one of the wealthiest counties, had dropped two stars because of "serious failings in its services for vulnerable children". |
| He said the council had accepted the criticism and was trying to make "swift improvements". | He said the council had accepted the criticism and was trying to make "swift improvements". |
| The annual data for all English single tier and county councils - also known as the Comprehensive Performance Assessments [CPA] - has been published for the last time. It is heartening to see a record number of four-star councils Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins | The annual data for all English single tier and county councils - also known as the Comprehensive Performance Assessments [CPA] - has been published for the last time. It is heartening to see a record number of four-star councils Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins |
| From April, it will be replaced by new Comprehensive Area Assessments, which will focus on results and future needs. | From April, it will be replaced by new Comprehensive Area Assessments, which will focus on results and future needs. |
| The CPA, introduced in 2002 to measure the effectiveness and value for money of individual local authorities, has traced general improvements in town halls over the past seven years. | The CPA, introduced in 2002 to measure the effectiveness and value for money of individual local authorities, has traced general improvements in town halls over the past seven years. |
| The number achieving an overall four-star rating has risen from 22 in 2002 to 62 today, including 27 who have consistently achieved top marks for four consecutive years. | The number achieving an overall four-star rating has risen from 22 in 2002 to 62 today, including 27 who have consistently achieved top marks for four consecutive years. |
| As well as services for children and young people, the Audit Commission inspects adult social care, housing, environment, culture, benefits and fire and rescue. | As well as services for children and young people, the Audit Commission inspects adult social care, housing, environment, culture, benefits and fire and rescue. |
| While 73% of councils did achieve the top two ratings - three or four stars - for children's services, scores were higher in other areas. | While 73% of councils did achieve the top two ratings - three or four stars - for children's services, scores were higher in other areas. |
| Some 91% of councils achieved three or four stars for housing, 95% for the environment, 77% for culture, 97% for benefits and 87% for adult social care. | Some 91% of councils achieved three or four stars for housing, 95% for the environment, 77% for culture, 97% for benefits and 87% for adult social care. |
| Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins said: "As we say goodbye to the star rating system, it is heartening to see a record number of four-star councils, and 28 rising by one or more categories in this last year alone." | Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins said: "As we say goodbye to the star rating system, it is heartening to see a record number of four-star councils, and 28 rising by one or more categories in this last year alone." |