Liverpool City Council plans to hire 160 more staff in child social services

The extra investment could reduce social workers' case loads by 50%

Social workers dealing with children in Liverpool will have their caseloads halved, the city's council has pledged.

If budget proposals are approved by cabinet next Friday, an extra 160 staff will be hired as part of an additional £7.7m investment.

The move comes in response to an Ofsted report last year which criticised the size of social workers' caseloads.

"This is an unprecedented investment by this council in children's services," said Councillor Barry Kushner.

The cabinet member for children's services added: "No other council in the country is doing this, outside of a poor Ofsted inspection, and this shows our commitment to children and families in our city."

'More time'

Ofsted inspectors said the number of children in need of help had increased dramatically in recent years and Liverpool had "struggled to manage the level of demand".

The council said the changes would "reduce the number of children each social worker is responsible for and allow them more time to work with children, young people and families".

A report to the council's cabinet on 25 January will recommend a restructure which will see an increase in the number of full-time posts from 313 to 473.

They will include 115 social workers, 18 senior social workers and 22 deputy team managers to provide increased oversight and management of cases for the city's 1,250 looked after children.