Dispatches

In a unique and important investigation, Dispatches has gone undercover inside one of Britain's largest and worst performing children's services departments, where social workers are battling to keep vulnerable children safe. For several years, Birmingham City Council's Children's Services has been criticised for failing children, and in 2013 was described by Ofsted's Chief Inspector as a 'national disgrace'. Birmingham has faced 27 serious case reviews over the last 10 years. Earlier this month, a woman was found guilty of brutally murdering 18-month old baby Keegan Downer, who Birmingham's Children's Services had placed with her after Keegan was removed from her drug-addicted birth mother. Keegan is just the latest of several children killed in the city in recent years by those supposed to be caring for them. Birmingham City Council has insisted that sorting out its Children's Services is a top priority, and claims that substantial improvements have been made.