Sandwell Council’s children services have been rated as below par following a government Ofsted inspection.

The report found “serious and widespread failings” and said services for looked after children and adoption had "deteriorated" since they were last inspected in 2015.

It also said basic elements of good social work" were not yet in place and that the response to children going missing or at risk of sexual exploitation "lacks rigour".

The Labour-run council recognised there was much work to do and said it was fully committed to improving. Last week in Parliament, Conservative MP for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, James Morris described the authority’s children’s services as a "broken system".