HELP to turn around Surrey County Council’s “inadequate” children’s services department is being bought in from other local authorities, after the council’s latest Ofsted report found children are being exposed to “continuing harm”.

Ofsted slated Surrey’s children’s services department, which as of January 2018 supported more than 6,000 children, rating it inadequate and criticising the council for not making changes fast enough after a similar rating four years ago.

The damning report published last week follows a re-inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers 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.”

Responding, a six-point plan will see experts from other councils working with Surrey County Council (SCC) to make the changes highlighted by Ofsted.

SCC staff and councillors met with the Department for Education last week and children’s minister Nadhim Zahawi has appointed a children’s commissioner to work in Surrey. They will be announced and in place by June and work with SCC for three months.

As well as intervention from central government there will be six other areas of help:

? Hampshire County Council will assist with developing early help work.

? Essex County Council will help to review and restructure MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub).

? Hertfordshire County Council will deploy their director of children’s services to work in Surrey two days a week to introduce a successful model of family safeguarding.

? A mental health expert will help address immediate problems with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

? A new children’s academy will train all staff working with children in all agencies focusing on early help, safeguarding and looked after children.

? Surrey Heartlands will lead a major programme to support vulnerable children.

Ofsted will return in September, December, March and June to carry out monitoring review inspections.

Clare Curran, SCC’s cabinet member for children, outlined the next steps at the annual council meeting on Tuesday.

Mrs Curran said: “We will take note of the views of Ofsted and others but this is about Surrey’s journey and Surrey’s families.”

Dave Hill, who was appointed CBE for his work with children’s care, has been brought in as executive director of children’s services having worked with struggling departments in other authorities before.

Councillors have a duty as a corporate parent to ensure looked after children within their authority are thriving.

Mrs Curran said all members will be getting support from an Essex councillor and the Local Government Association with how they carry out their role as corporate parents.

She said: “Our absolute priority is ensuring we make necessary changes to our services to improve the lives of vulnerable children and we will find the resources to make that happen.

“Surrey’s children, our young people and their families matter to us all. They are the future generation and they deserve better.”

Council leader David Hodge said: “There is no doubt that report made for very difficult reading for all of us. We all take this judgement extremely seriously and we fully accept there is a great deal for us to do to make sure we look after the children of Surrey.”

Mr Hodge said he himself was brought up in care and that the wellbeing of children was something he was “passionate about” and as corporate parents they “all have roles to play”.

But the report has sparked criticism from Labour councillors, who have called for resignations.

Labour group leader Robert Evans said: “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.”