Birmingham City Council social work managers 'inadequate', according to Ofsted

Social work managers took 147 vulnerable children off their books when they should not have done - to reduce workloads on a shrunken staff.

The admission came today as Ofsted published a scathing report into how Birmingham City Council's children's services operate.

Ofsted spotted that 147 children who should have been assessed had been taken off the council's books and immediately ordered the council to re-examine the cases.

The report says that:

• Managers are inadequate

• Changes they have made to improve the department have had little or no impact

• They have failed to learn lessons from previous serious case reviews into deaths of children

• They also fail to fulfil their legal obligations in the way they handle cases

The report said that morale among staff has improved and the council has put together a three year plan to take on more staff. This is being supported by a commissioner who was appointed by the government. Social workers are committed to the children of Birmingham, the report said.

Peter Hay, the Director of People at Birmingham City Council admitted that for too long managers focussed on how to run the department rather than on how to help children at risk.

He and Brigid Jones, the councillor in charge of protecting children, said that constant changes of management and the way social workers operate has been damaging to the department.

The report also criticised the Safeguarding Children Board which monitors the work of the council. It said the board is not doing its job properly and fulfilling its legal obligations.