A re-inspection during April and May of children's services provision in Sunderland concluded that standards remained "inadequate" three years after it was handed Ofsted's lowest rating.
Inspectors found that efforts to turn around performance have been too slow and the risk of harm faced by children is often not being recognised or appropriately responded to.
Inspectors were particularly critical of the arrangements involving the handing over of children's services to community interest company Together for Children (TfC) in April 2017.
They found that under the arrangements the council is not effectively scrutinising poor practice. Leadership and child protection measures are both rated as "inadequate" by inspectors, who criticised a failure of managers to understand weaknesses in the service and ensure the area's most vulnerable children are protected.
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