The 'at risk' councils speak out

17 authorities have been listed ‘at risk’

One in 10 social services authorities have been placed on an “at risk” register, and have been warned that unless they “ratchet up standards” they face direct government intervention when new laws come into effect in the Spring. BBC News Online gauged the reaction of some of those councils.

North East Lincolnshire

We have radically overhauled a range of children’s services

Jim Levers, Executive Director of NE Lincolnshire Council

Executive Director designate of the council, Jim Levers, said that within the list of 17 social services authorities there was a hierarchy, and that North East Lincolnshire was at the lower end of the scale.

He said: “We’re in at the bottom, at number 17. That means we are not subject to the same levels of checks by the Social Services Inspectorate as say, Hull, Sheffield or Hackney, which have to report to the secretary of state.

North East Lincs: “We’re in at the bottom”

“We were placed on the list after the death of a child, Philip Martin. It was an extremely distressing and traumatic event for many people living in Lincolnshire.

“But there has been an investigation and we have radically overhauled a range of children’s services over the last 18 months.

“The Social Services Inspectorate completed their investigation in September this year and we are waiting to hear their findings.”

He said that although the death of the boy had been a tragedy, the failures within the system had now been rectified.

London Borough of Hackney

Improvements won’t happen overnight

Kike Biye, of Hackney Borough Council

Hackney Borough Council admitted that it had failed in different areas, but said that it had been implementing wide-ranging reforms to redress the situation.

The council is new executive director and a new director of children and family services.

Spokeswoman Kike Biye said: “We knew we were on the list of 17 authorities, and we are working with a number of agencies including the SSI and the Local Government Association to bring performance levels up.

“We have a number of extra people coming on board. We are in the process of recruiting a number of staff.

Hackney Borough Council: “We have made changes”

“We have three social services directorates which were all overseen by one person – but we have now separated them.

“There are varied and complicated reasons for why the services did get into the difficulties that they did.

“Placements of children had been a particular problem but we are working under strong direction towards fixing those problems.

“We are aware that we have to work quite urgently and the previous good work that was done is being built upon.

“But turning the service around is not going to happen overnight.”

Sheffield Metropolitan District

We’re making a lot of good progress

Spokeswoman for Sheffield City Council Social Services

Sheffield City Council said that a lot of work had gone in to remedying its situation, and that it felt it should no longer be on the list.

A spokeswoman for social services said: “It is a bit of a shame being on the list because the information is based on a joint review carried out in March 1997.

“It was some time ago that we weren’t meeting all the targets. A number of processes have been put into place since that time.

“One of the reasons we were listed is because our progress is still being monitored on a quality basis – and we are making a lot of good progress.

Sheffield City Council: “A bit unfair”

“Although there is still room for improvements, we have come a long way since March 1997.

“One of our main problems was access. Customers found that they couldn’t get access to services, or to information. But the improvements we have made have resulted in an increase in the number of referrals.

“We are now meeting the statutory requirements for inspections as well, carrying out 100% of inspections.

“However, we have not requested to be removed from the list, in the interests of being open.”

Bury Metropolitan District

Derek Bowden of Bury Social Services said that the authority was now meeting its requirements and had made considerable improvements to its service.

But he said that recruitment of staff had posed difficulties, as had the death in service of a senior member of staff.

He said: “We accept the criticism but we are now on track.”