Two government ministers have stepped in to investigate the children's services departments in local authorities. Children's minister, Beverley Hughes (pictured), has raised concern over the department at Doncaster MBC, which is under investigation after it emerged serious case reviews had been ordered into the deaths of seven local children in the past two years. The South Yorkshire authority received a critical OfSTED report last month, claiming its children's services, including child protection, were inadequate. The council was one of only nine across the country to have its children's services rated inadequate. Ms Hughes said: ‘It is crucial that the root causes of these failings are fully explored, and that the capacity and capability of the council and its key partners to drive improvement in these areas is fully assessed.' Now the council has started its own internal independent investigation alongside a government-led diagnostic review of the authority's children's services. The council admitted its service was ‘inadequate' but claimed it had already started work to rectify the situation. Scotland's children's minister, Adam Ingram, will visit Aberdeen City Council's child protection services, which were heavily criticised in a report last year. The visit will be to see what improvements have been made.
