Number of Blackpool children in care has fallen

The figure currently stands at around 575, having been around the 600 mark in recent times.

Ofsted is due to carry out its first full inspection in the coming months of Blackpool's children's services since the department was rated ‘inadequate’ in January 2019.

An improvement programme has been implemented since then involving additional investment and recruitment of more social workers.

A council report says the reduction in numbers is due to fewer children going into care, better outcomes from court proceedings and more children leaving long term care or being adopted.

But concerns remain about the number of children living in residential homes, many of whom have more complex needs.

A report to the next meeting of the full council says: "Demand for children’s social care services has been steady throughout 2022 and the number ofchildren with child protection plans is in line with expected levels when compared to similar local authority areas."

It adds: "Despite this improving picture challenges remain, in particular the number of children in care in residential homes and the stability of the homes of our children in care.

"Children’s services will be focusing on this critical issue through the latter part of this year and into 2023.

"Following the recent sequence of positive monitoring visits by Ofsted, the council’s children’s services are likely to be subject to a full re-inspection by Ofsted in the autumn/winter of 2022."

In the last financial year (2021/22) children's services overspent by £4.45m despite more than £8m of additional funding.

The overspend was blamed on a failure to reduce the number of children in care, and a 25 per cent increase in the cost of some residential care.

In 2021 the council launched its Blackpool Families Rock campaign to encourage more people to foster children who were living in care.

Ofsted inspectors made their fourth visit to the town in January this year as part of a programme of monitoring.

They found "an effective and well-co-ordinated multi-agency response to vulnerable families, despite continued high levels of demand", according to a letter from Ofsted inspector Lorna Schlechte.