'Inadequate' verdict on child safety

Leeds Council's procedures for safeguarding vulnerable children are described as "inadequate" overall in a report published today by two child safety watchdogs.

Inspectors from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, who visited Leeds in November and December, recognised children's services in the city were improving, but found that further work was needed.

Their findings follow a torrid 2009 for the council, which was ordered by the Government last month to set up a children's services improvement board after Ofsted discovered seven cases where children were left at risk of serious harm.

The council was also severely criticised last July in an independent report into authorities' dealings with the family of two-year-old Casey Mullen, who was raped and strangled in her bed by her uncle Michael Mullen in 2007.

A review found Mullen had faced charges of raping a 12-year-old girl when he was 17, but the investigation was dropped and social services staff did not assess the risk he posed to his niece.

Leeds Council executive board member Coun Stewart Golton said improving services for children and young people remained a "top priority" for the authority.

"This latest report confirms what we have been doing, with positive progress being made, but still much to be done to further improve the way we look after and support children and young people in Leeds," he added.

"While an 'inadequate' rating for the overall effectiveness of safeguarding services isn't good news, positive progress is being made.

"For instance, the inspectors judged that the effectiveness of services in taking reasonable steps to ensure children and young people is adequate."

Inspectors found examples of good work during their visit, such as the way senior managers prioritise work, promote equality and diversity issues and build partnerships with the NHS.

The report adds that "poor staff performance is being addressed and systems and processes have already been redesigned".

But inspectors discovered more needed to be done to improve how managers assess their performance and plan their staffing needs.

They recommend the council carries out an immediate review of resources to make sure there are enough people in the department to deal with its workload.

The authority should also do more to involve children and young people in how future services are developed and, where possible, to recruit more families and carers from ethnic minorities.

Inspectors said senior managers had "responded well" and taken "swift action" since last July, when Leeds was among seven Yorkshire councils found to have weaknesses in a series of surprise Ofsted inspections.

Ofsted highlighted areas of "priority action" at Leeds, Calderdale, North Yorkshire, Rotherham, Sheffield and Bradford – and also discovered problems after a visit to Kirklees.

The unannounced inspections were introduced following public outcry at Haringey Council's dealings with the family of Peter Connolly, Baby P, who died after suffering more than 50 injuries despite many visits from social workers.

An earlier routine review found "inadequate" child care arrangements in Doncaster, where seven children known to social services have died since 2004.

Social workers in Doncaster and Rotherham, like their colleagues in Leeds, are receiving urgent Government support to improve the service they offer to children.

In December ministers demanded a new children's board be formed in Doncaster, led by an independent chairman and including police and health bosses.

Rotherham Council was issued with an improvement notice at the same time after Ofsted found problems with social workers' caseloads, quality assurance and information systems.