INDEPENDENT improvement advisers have been brought in by the government to bolster West Berkshire Council's "inadequate" children's services.

Following a damning Ofsted report which raised "serious concerns" about West Berkshire's children's services, improvement advisers, Exploring Choices, have been brought in to work alongside the council.

In the report, which was published in May this year, the watchdog said the authority did not have a "stable workforce" and it required improvement in adoption performance, experience and progress of care leavers and management and governance.

In July the council were forced to submit an improvement plan to the Department for Education, which detailed plans to invest £600,000 for additional training and new staff, a recruitment campaign to fill vacant positions and recognised the need to support social workers to ensure cases are dealt with agreed timescales.

The Secretary of State for Children and Families, Edward Timpson MP, confirmed that Exploring Choices will work with the council to support the development of its improvement plan.

He said: "Should the council be unwilling or unable to comply with this improvement notice, or should ministers not be satisfied with the council’s progress at any stage, ministers may choose to invoke their statutory powers of intervention (s497A Education Act 1996 as amended) to direct the council to enter into an appropriate arrangement to secure the improvements required in children’s services."

The council has been given until September 25 to agree with Exploring Choices an improvement plan.

Mr Timpson added: "To ensure there is clear evidence of progression: the content of the improvement plan and a record of progress against it must be kept up to date; the council must report to the adviser on progress against the objectives in the plan at least at monthly intervals and sooner if requested by the adviser."

The council will also be forced to highlight objectives in the improvement plan which are slow to progress and where contributions need to be strengthened.

Councillor Lynne Doherty, executive member for children's services, said the council accepted Ofsted's findings and welcomed the involvement of the selected advisors.

She said: "The council was quick to acknowledge the areas for improvement, and action already underway included our innovative social worker academy and a recruitment and retention strategy which Ofsted described as "ambitious and creative." The plan will continue that work and help us introduce some longer-term improvements which will bring stability to the team and strengthen the quality of their practice."