SATISFACTORY progress is being made by children's services in Worcestershire according to inspectors, but some areas need further focused work.

In a report published by Ofsted, following a monitoring visit in July, inspectors recognised the authority has made "satisfactory progress" towards improving the services but said areas such as planning for children require "further focused work".

Inspectors said the local authority's senior leaders and elected members had a "realistic understanding" of the progress but were aware "much more work remains to be done" to ensure that children receive good services.

The report read: "Children are now experiencing more stability, with fewer changers of social work, and this enables them to build positive relationships.

"The local authority has invested significantly in a strength-based model of intervention for working with children and families. Inspectors saw evidence that of some parts of the service, the model is being use effectively in casework and supervision. However it is not yet consistently implemented across the service.

"Social workers reported that supervision was regular and reflectively, increasingly using a strength-based approach. However, this was not fully reflected by what inspectors saw in practice.

"In some cases, management oversight is inconsistent and lacks challenge to drift and delay. There is no evidence that supervision is effectively driving pans for children.

A critical Ofsted report, published about 18 months ago, found that Worcestershire County Council's children's services were inadequate.

Previously we reported that the failing children’s services were being taken over by an external body following Government intervention, with officers from Essex County Council – seen as some of the best in the country - brought in to support the troubled authority.

Councillor Andy Roberts, cabinet member with responsibility for children and families, said: "I am really pleased that the hard work that our staff have been putting in is being recognised. The report talks of a positive morale amongst our social workers and their managers and inspectors have seen an increase in confidence. This is all really good news and makes a positive difference to our children and young people. But there is a lot more that we have to do."