Birmingham City Council's social services department has been rated as failing – by its own internal report. The council's scrutiny committee revealed serious problems, including management failings, high levels of sick leave, and excessive bureaucracy. It claimed the department was not fit for purpose. The report was commissioned after eight children died over a four-year period and Ofsted highlighted problems in its review of councils following the Baby P case. The children's minister has already sent in a team to help the department improve.
