Adviser sent to improve Hull's children's social services

Hull City Council said it welcomed the appointment of the government's adviser

An adviser is being sent in to help improve children's social services in Hull after they were rated "inadequate".

The government has issued an Improvement Notice on the city council after a critical Ofsted report in May.

Inspectors said there were "serious failures in the recognition of risk and in the quality of social work practice".

Hull City Council said it welcomed the appointment of an adviser.

The Department for Education (DfE) warned that if improvements were not made by 2020 there could be further intervention by the secretary of state.

Options could include services being taken from the council and run by independent commissioners.

The Ofsted report said the local authority had "failed to deliver the improvements needed since its last inspection in 2015".

"There are widespread and serious failures in the recognition of risk and in the quality of social work practice for children in need of help and protection," the report said.

"Arrangements to safeguard children with specific vulnerabilities, such as disabled children, children living in private fostering arrangements, and 16-year-old homeless children, are ineffective."

Alison Murphy, director of children's services, said the council had already set up an "improvement board".

"We are already accelerating our service improvement plans and we welcome the appointment of an improvement advisor to ensure we make sustainable improvements to our children's social care services," she said.

She added: "The needs of the city's children are paramount and we will work hard to ensure the services we provide to our children and their families are of the highest standard."