Young people with disabilities are continuing to wait "too long" for aspects of their support while assessments provided by social workers vary in quality, an inspection found.

A recent monitoring visit to review the trouble-hit children's services at Medway Council found while the department was improving, concerns still remain.

The authority was subject to scrutiny from a government-appointed inspector after it received an "inadequate" rating from Ofsted for its children's services department in 2019.

A report published today(Wednesday, October 26) summarises the findings from the latest Ofsted inspection carried out in September, during which services for disabled children were assessed.

This area of service was the subject of an improvement plan after the initial inspection showed areas of weakness for disabled young people aged up to 25.

This is the fifth monitoring visit in the last year - each Ofsted visit has looked at different areas of care.

In a letter to the council's director of people, Dr Lee-Ann Farach, the inspectors concluded whilst children were seen by social workers promptly, the quality of their assessments varied.

They were also concerned about a "lack of community resources", meaning "too many children have to wait too long for services, such as short breaks or personal adviser support".

Inspectors praised the "strong and positive relationships" the children had with social workers who had been in their lives for a long time, as well as a weekly meeting group for children with additional needs called the Wednesday Squad.

However, they also said children too often experienced changes in social workers and staff shortages and sickness within the services have hampered improvement.

Concerns were also raised about welfare plans, the placement of disabled children further away from Medway or in unregistered placements, and how plans for supporting older children into adulthood were put in place.

The report reads: "Leaders are fully aware that they still have some way to go to deliver consistent quality social care support to all disabled children who need this in Medway."

Cllr Josie Iles, portfolio holder for children's services, said: “We have come a long way since the initial inspection in 2019 and we continue to push on with our planned improvement journey.

"We recognise the support Medway’s children and young people deserve and we will continue to make necessary changes to improve the service they need to help provide them with the best opportunities and better outcomes.

"Medway is full of bright and talented children and young people, from all backgrounds, and we will continue to work hard to support the individual needs of children in care as best we can to encourage their interests and skills.

Commenting on the report, Cllr Pat Cooper (Lab) said: "The quality of services for Medway’s young people, particularly the disabled children in the 0 to 25 service, should never have become poor, as it did under this Conservative administration.

"Senior leaders, social workers and all who work in the service have worked really hard to improve the lives of our young people and I pay tribute to them.

"However, there are still vital issues to resolve, and much more progress to be made before we can be sure that our young people are properly looked after."