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| Birmingham City Council Children's Services to get commissioner | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The heavily-criticised Birmingham Children's Services is to get a commissioner to oversee the unit, the Department for Education has announced. | The heavily-criticised Birmingham Children's Services is to get a commissioner to oversee the unit, the Department for Education has announced. |
| The unit has been rated "inadequate" for the past four years and faced 23 investigations into the deaths of children under its care. | The unit has been rated "inadequate" for the past four years and faced 23 investigations into the deaths of children under its care. |
| Children's Minister Edward Timpson said former health minister Lord Norman Warner would be appointed commissioner. | |
| It follows a report handed over to ministers last month. | It follows a report handed over to ministers last month. |
| Under the plans announced by the DfE, the local authority will keep control of its children's services. | Under the plans announced by the DfE, the local authority will keep control of its children's services. |
| The council has been at the centre of several serious case reviews in recent years, following the deaths of the likes of Kyra Ishaq in 2008, and Keanu Williams, in 2011. | |
| 'Challenge and support' | |
| A peer review in February suggested improvements were being made in the department and a £10m investment plan was announced by the council in December. | A peer review in February suggested improvements were being made in the department and a £10m investment plan was announced by the council in December. |
| Despite that, on Thursday Mr Timpson said he remained very concerned about the safety of children in Birmingham. | Despite that, on Thursday Mr Timpson said he remained very concerned about the safety of children in Birmingham. |
| He said an independent panel of experts would also be set up to "challenge and support" the city council. | |
| Council leader Sir Albert Bore said he welcomed the recommendations. | |
| Lord Warner said vulnerable children in Birmingham "deserve to receive the care and protection that they can rely on when the responsible adult has failed them". | |
| He said he would work with the city council to put in place the "immediate improvements needed". | |
| The commissioner is expected to work alongside but independently of the council, supported directly by the DfE. |