by political editor Paul Francis

Social services chiefs have vowed to improve adoption services in Kent after figures showed it was among the worst performing authorities in the south east.

The pledge comes as Prime Minister David Cameron threatened tough action against councils who failed to deal with adoption cases swiftly.

Private companies and charities could be brought in to take over council adoption services in the worst cases.

According to government figures, just 9% of cases involving those wanting to adopt were dealt with in Kent on average over the last three years compared with the national average of 12%.

In neighbouring East Sussex, the figure was 18% and in Medway, 15%.

"this is clearly not good enough." – prime minister david cameron

Councils are required to organise adoptions within 12 months of deciding to do so.

Cases on average are taking two and a half years to resolve in the county, broadly in line with the national average.

In Kent, just 57 formal adoptions were made last year compared to 69 the year before and 78 before that.

KCC pledged action to address the shortcomings highlighted in the official government figures and acknowledged it needed to do more.

Cllr Jenny Whittle, cabinet member for specialist children's services, said the council would be contracting a charity with specialist knowledge to help improve the situation.

She said: "We had children's services that were in crisis last year but and we have made massive strides on safeguarding. We now need to do the same on adoption.

"We have lost focus and are under-performing but other authorities do not have the same numbers of unaccompanied child asylum seekers as we do.

"They cannot be adopted because they may have to go back to their country of origin."

Cllr Whittle said the caseloads of social workers created huge pressures.

She added: "When you have frontline social workers with 50 to 60 cases to deal with, they are not going to be able to sit down and do the work."

Kent is now reviewing restrictions placed on those able to adopt, including lifting a bar which meant only those living in the county could adopt.

It will also shortly publish what is expected to be a critical report by adoption adviser Martin Narey, the former head of Barnardo's, who has been commissioned to examine the state of adoption in Kent.

Mr Cameron said: "It is shocking that, of the 3,600 children under the age of one in care, only 60 were adopted last year. This is clearly not good enough."