Norfolk children's services inspection report delayed

Children's services at Norfolk County Council were rated as 'inadequate' by Ofsted after an inspection in 2013

Publication of a report into Norfolk's children's services, already rated as "inadequate", has been delayed.

An inspection in July followed a report in June 2013 that stated vulnerable children were "being put at risk".

Norfolk County Council said the delay was inevitable as the inspection took place at the start of the summer break.

It admitted it was in "friendly" discussions with Ofsted but did not say when the report, initially due to be published earlier, would be released.

The 2013 inspection led to the retirement of director Lisa Christensen, who was temporarily replaced by Sheila Locke, who had led improvement at Leicestershire children's services.

Awaiting report publication

Sheila Lock took over as Norfolk's interim director of children's services in 2013

The council, which employs about 675 front-line care staff and has about 1,000 children in care, has also been under fire over its poor treatment of foster carers.

At a children's service committee meeting earlier James Joyce, cabinet member for safeguarding, said he could not make any comment on the inspection since the report had not yet been published.

"The summer holidays means inevitably any report could be delayed," he added.

In answer to media speculation about the council challenging the report, he said "it's not about whether someone agrees or doesn't agree with a result - there is no result to comment on at this stage".