CHILDREN in Surrey are being exposed to “continuing harm” due to Surrey County Council’s “inadequate” children’s services, according to an Ofsted report.

The damning report published this week follows a re-inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers. The inspection took place between February 26 and March 22.

Ofsted’s report stated: “Senior leaders and elected members in Surrey have been far too slow to accept and act on the findings and recommendations of the 2014 inspection, and to respond with the required urgency to the findings of several subsequent monitoring visits.

“Too many of the most vulnerable children in the county are being left exposed to continuing harm for long periods of time before decisive protective actions are taken.”

Clare Curran, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for children, said: “We totally accept that the support we give to children and their families simply isn’t good enough, and we’ve brought in one of the country’s most highly-respected children’s services directors, Dave Hill, to spearhead the changes we need to make.

“Ofsted recognises we have started the work but much more needs to be done and with Dave in place, we’ll build on this, so that support for children in Surrey is as good as it possibly can be.”

Dave Hill, the council’s executive director for children, families and learning, said: “I’m clear we need to do more to improve the lives of children in Surrey.

“That’s what I’ve been brought in to do, using the experience I have turning round children’s services in other parts of the country. I’m sure we will also do so in Surrey.”

One ray of light for the county came with the adoption service praised by Ofsted for being "tenacious and effective at finding permanent parents for children with highly complex needs" and supporting families thereafter.

The report also backed Social workers who do "thoughtful and valuable" work with children in foster care.

As of January 2018, more than 6,000 children in Surrey were accessing a specialist children’s service.

But, the report has sparked criticism from Labour councillors, who are calling for resignations.

A Labour group spokesman at Kingston’s County Hall, said: “The Conservatives need to wake up and take full responsibility for their own failings in children’s services. Someone should be resigning over this.”

Labour leader Robert Evans, who represents Stanwell and Stanwell Moor, said: “Our children only get one chance at education and Surrey is failing them.”

Mr Evans added: “If the head or governors of a school were criticised like this by Ofsted, then they would lose their autonomy and be taken over.

“They certainly wouldn’t stay in post

“David Hodge, the Conservative leader of Surrey County Council, must take ultimate responsibility.

“Failure on this scale needs to be punished.”

Osted sent a warning letter to the Department for Education, in December, after its ninth visit to the county since 2014 – warning that things had still failed to improve.

Linda Steele wrote before Christmas: “Inspectors have consistently identified shortcomings in the quality of services to children, including a lack of effectiveness in managing risk.

“The local authority has made some progress to implement the necessary improvements, but the pace of practice improvements for children in need of help and protection is too slow.”

This week’s report gives a full breakdown of its findings