Cumbria’s top judge has demanded answers from social services after a little girl was found living in a squalid drug den.

Cumbria Social Services did not tell police they had been tipped off about the appalling abuse of a Carlisle toddler 15 months before her parents were arrested.

Social services directors have warned of major problems with a planned new, single local authority and health service complaints procedure. The new system is due to come into effect on April 1st but the Association of Directors of Social Services fears there could be delays and confusion.

A MERSEYSIDE care home was at the centre of a police probe today following allegations dementia sufferers were mistreated. Four members of staff at Windy Knowe Nursing Home were arrested last week on suspicion of “wilful neglect”.

The chair of the newly created Care Quality Commission (CQC) has spoken of her fear that the recession could undermine service standards.

A campaign has been launched to recruit thousands of professionals to work in child social care. Introduced by the Local Government Association (LGA), the campaign highlights the concerns of council leaders following the case of Baby P and the likelihood of child abuse cases being missed as a result of people leaving the care profession.

Council bosses in Doncaster were warned four years ago that their actions were putting children’s lives at risk. The council, which last year had double the national average number of children on its protection register, is currently under investigation following the deaths of seven children in the area.

Services for vulnerable children in England deteriorated last year and remain the weakest area of councils’ work, the Audit Commission has said.

On-the-spot checks for childcare and assessments for a much wider range of services are to be introduced next month in an attempt to make public sector inspections more rigorous.

AN Ollerton care home has received the lowest possible score after a series of recent inspections found staff were not correctly qualified to work.