Call for new Gloucestershire County Council leadership after Child X review

Gloucestershire County Council says it is implementing new safeguarding measures

There are calls for a change at the top of Gloucestershire County Council amid concerns of "repeated and catastrophic" failures in children's services.

A safeguarding review into the inadequate care provided to a child with behavioural needs found a lack of supervision, safety, and care quality.

The Lib Dems said trust at the council, which has a Tory majority but is in no overall control, must be restored.

The council said it was implementing recommended changes from the review.

Liberal Democrat group leader Ben Evans said the restoring of trust could not happen "without new leadership".

The review into Child X, who was 15 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, found she was groomed and sexually abused by her carer and became pregnant while in care," the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The basics of safety and containment were not achieved; she was sexually abused, had access to cannabis and tobacco and absconded at times, the report said.

The council has accepted the report's findings in full

The Lib Dems said it was another shocking example of the repeated and systemic failures in children services to happen under the watch of the Conservatives.

"No young person should have to go through what Child X went through. As a result, it's clear we need change at the top of Gloucestershire County Council," said Mr Evans.

The report found that Child X had access to cannabis and tobacco

"In situations like this, it is vital that children in care and their families know that action is being taken, and trust is restored.

"Some people need to take a long hard look at themselves and think about their futures."

Children's safeguarding and early years cabinet member Stephen Davies, of the Conservatives, said he conceded it was a case where mistakes had been made and lessons must be learned.

But he stressed people should not lose sight of the fact that the offender was a manipulative individual who had been charged, tried and found guilty of this offence.

"There is consistent evidence that Gloucestershire County Council children's services is on a journey of improvement and that this should not be jeopardised," he said.

Speaking when the report was published, Ann James said "more could and should have been done" to ensure Child X's safety

Gloucestershire County Council said it was implementing the recommended changes.

Speaking when the report was published, executive director of children's services, Ann James said: "We know that more could and should have been done to ensure safety and have taken action to improve commissioning arrangements for children in similar situations."