Vulnerable children in Doncaster still at risk from crisis-hit council's services

After a series of child deaths, Government intervention and more than 1m spent on consultants, services aimed at safeguarding children at risk of abuse are still "inadequate" and "unacceptably poor".

The stark findings – to be presented to councillors tomorrow – show well under half the children potentially at risk receive initial assessments within seven working days.

Performance indicators for the three-month period to the end of March this year, show only 40 per cent of children received prompt assessments in Doncaster compared with a national average of nearly 73 per cent.

The figures for fuller or "core" assessments, which should be carried out within 35 days, are also well below average. Nationally, 78 per cent are carried within the timescale but only 65 per cent in Doncaster.

A host of other performance indicators for children's services are classed as inadequate with trends for many marked as "getting worse".

The report was drawn up by children's services director Chris Pratt as part of an improvement plan instituted after Government intervention in the department began last year.

Intervention followed the deaths of seven vulnerable children known to the council over a five-year period.

Concerns heightened after the Edlington child torture case when it was revealed a savage attack by 10 and 11-year-old brothers, whose family was known to the council, could have been prevented. A serious case review found several opportunities to intervene were missed.

The fallout from the Edlington attack prompted an emergency Audit Commission inspection which resulted in full-scale Government intervention in the authority's management which is due to begin next month.

Mr Pratt's report said: "Although there has been some improvement since intervention, front-line safeguarding services remain inadequate.

"This is particularly the case at the 'front door' – the Referral and Assessment Service, where cases concerning the welfare and safety of children and young people are initially referred and the risk posed assessed.

"Key performance indicators remain unacceptably poor."

In a statement, Mr Pratt said "vigorous action is being taken in order to achieve set targets and overcome challenges both in the short and long-term."

He said the service was burdened by a huge rise in the number of children taken into care which increased 216 per cent between 2007 and 2009 compared with a 25 per cent national increase.

Mr Pratt also pointed out improvements had been made, including social workers now being allocated to all children in care or with a child protection plan. Initial assessments within seven working days had also gone up to nearly 59 per cent last month.

His statement concluded: "We have always acknowledged there is a long way to go in order to improve the overall performance of safeguarding and we are fully committed to driving forward the significant improvement that is needed."

Mr Pratt's report will be considered by the council's scrutiny panel for children's services.

Its chairman, Liberal Democrat Eric Tatton-Kelly, said figures since the end of March suggested there have been improvements. He also acknowledged the findings placed a question mark against the wisdom of spending over 1m on consultants to help run the service.

He added: "It's like turning a large tanker around. It can't happen just like that, it's slow and it's painful. This is part of the turning circle."