Government to intervene in Rotherham children's services

Children's minister Dawn Primarolo has written to the council saying she is set to sign the notice later this month.

An improvement notice is one of the government's most severe interventions in local government, setting out what action a council needs to take and requiring swift changes.

A damning Ofsted report in September raised concerns included the heavy caseload of social workers, poor auditing and out of date and inaccurate record keeping.

The improvement notice is set to focus on these three areas. Rotherham council has already set up an improvement panel and drawn up an action plan.

Primarolo said: "I will take whatever action is necessary to ensure the safety of children and young people in these authorities and elsewhere including using statutory powers where it is right to do so."

Rotherham children's board chair Shaun Wright, said: "We are already making important changes to how we support our children and young people."

Rotherham is one of four councils with poorly performing children's service departments where the government has been forced to intervene.

Essex County Council was issued with an improvement notice in March, ordering it to carry out swift improvements to its children's services.

But following a lack of progress the government has announced a toughening of its stance. The council has been told to expect tougher targets and for the chair of its improvement board to report to both the council leader and secretary of state on a bi-monthly basis. 

Cornwall County Council and Doncaster council's efforts to address serious concerns surrounding child safety and the running of children's services are also being closely monitored by the government.