Children's care workers are too stretched (From Warrington Guardian)

Children's care workers are too stretched

STAFF caring for disabled children in Warrington are working at full capacity and could become too stretched, a report had warned.

A review of Warrington Borough Council's children's services team took place in August.

The head of the inspection team, Robert Lindsay, came to speak to the council's executive board on Monday.

He said while staff were excellent and working to a high standard - there was a risk of them becoming overloaded with case work.

"We felt the council ran a risk in respect of capacity.

"It was clear that the work people do on a day to day basis has no slack.

"People have high case loads and complex and demanding work."

He explained that recruitment was also a problem.

Warrington Borough Council had a very low response for jobs advertised within the Warrington area.

Councillors were also told that more investment would be needed in the service, especially to facilities such as the Ross Close respite centre in Old Hall.

And they heard that an action plan had now been drawn up to tackle the issues.

A report will be written in six months time to respond to the success of the new measures.