Vulnerable children in Croydon are being left in “neglectful circumstances” for too long, according to the latest update from Ofsted.

Inspectors visited Croydon’s children’s services on July 10 and 11 for the third monitoring visit since it was judged as inadequate in September last year.

The service was placed in special measures after “widespread and serious failures” were found, meaning some children were at risk of “significant harm”.

But since then the pace of change has been too slow, said a letter published on Thursday (August 2).

The letter from inspector Anne Waterman said: “There is inconsistency in the application and understanding of thresholds and this is impacting on the quality of care planning for children.

“Decisions to ‘step up’ are not  taken quickly enough when children’s needs change or risks escalate. Many children are left in neglectful circumstances for too long.

“However, in a small number of cases seen by inspectors, increases in risks to children had been swiftly identified and responded to appropriately.”

Ms Waterman added that while caseloads for staff remained high, senior managers had taken active steps to reduce them.

But she said there were “urgent workforce issues” which meant that when people were off sick, on leave or left their the job, “managers struggle to ensure that children receive a satisfactory service”.

A spokeswoman for Croydon Council said: “We share Ofsted’s concern that the workloads of some social workers are still too high. We are driving a new recruitment and retention campaign while bringing in extra teams to help reduce caseloads, while strengthening management oversight.

“However, Ofsted has recognised our improved use of legal frameworks to safeguard children, together with the evidence of more consistent management oversight. We want to continue to build on these and other positive steps we have taken to date.

“We are refreshing our children’s services improvement plan to tackle priority areas to accelerate the pace of change, to offer all our children and young people the high-quality service we want them to have.”

The latest monitoring visit was the third of eight the service is set to have. 

Leader of the council’s Conservative opposition, Councillor Tim Pollard, has called the latest report “deeply worrying”.

And Cllr Maria Gatland, the Tory spokeswoman for children, said: “Ofsted have been clear in every one of their reports that the quality of supervision is inconsistent, that processes are ineffective and that progress is just too slow. All of this leaves our vulnerable children at risk of harm.

“[Labour cabinet member] Cllr Alisa Flemming is paid to drive forward a desperate need to improve social services, instead she has overseen a year where millions have been spent in an attempt to improve the care of vulnerable children in Croydon but hugely concerning failures remain. Serious questions need to be asked about her abilities and leadership.”

Cllr Flemming, cabinet member for children, young people and families, and Labour council leader Tony Newman have both been approached for comment on the latest Ofsted report.