Progress fails to end Cardiff scrutiny

Children’s social services in Cardiff are to remain on special measures, although an inspection report showed major improvement.

Senior managers at the council had hoped the restrictions would be lifted after two years of quarterly monitoring by the Social Services Inspectorate Wales, which said last month there had been “significant progress”.

But monitoring is to continue until the autumn even though the department has met most of the targets set by the inspectorate, and has been praised by health minister Dr Brian Gibbons.

The inspectorate has asked the council to address deficiencies in the capabilities of managers, develop a quality assurance and audit system at operational management levels and introduce improved business planning arrangements.