Cafcass service in Birmingham and the Black Country is inadequate

In its inspection earlier this year, which covers Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell, Dudley, Wolverhampton and Walsall, officers found inconsistency in the quality of assessment, case planning, recording and some court reporting.

Also highlighted were "unacceptable" delays in providing a timely service to some children and young people.

The report states: "Failure to allocate work in a timely way is resulting in delays for children and young people in both public and private law. This is of particular concern in the Black Country where the allocation of private law cases results in unacceptable waiting times of up to 20 weeks.

"Service users report increased anxiety for themselves and their children as a result of such delays. Delays in the allocation of a guardian in some cases have led courts to appoint solicitors who then appoint independent social workers to carry out Cafcass's statutory duties."

Despite the criticism officers also said the area has shown it is looking at weaknesses and improving on its performance.

The report added: "Although many aspects of current delivery in Birmingham and the Black Country are inadequate, the key building blocks for achieving change are in place. The recent record of progress is a good indicator of capacity to deliver further improvement."

Immediate priorities outlined in the report are the need for Cafcass to ensure it is performing its statutory duty in all cases, more priority is given to cases involving domestic violence and ensuring risk assessments are more robust.