Social services bosses say they are tackling the problems

And one in four children in care did not have a suitable social worker, said an independent report by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

It said there were "disproportionately high" numbers of youngsters on the register in the county.

The social services department said it was acting to tackle the problems.

Cornwall was also described in the review as a "low performer" in terms of what happened to those who left care.

All those on the register now have a social worker assigned to them, but one in 10 in care does not have a designated social worker, the report found.

Leaving care

It said two-thirds of 19-year-olds leaving care in 2003 were not in any kind of education, training or work.

The county's director of social services, Carol Tozer, said she had been addressing councillors on the report and detailing a set of action plans to tackle the problems.

They include a dedicated team being set up to work with young people leaving care.

There is also a recruitment drive under way to employ more staff and to increase the number of managers to compensate for high rates of staff sickness and staff turnover.

Ms Tozer said: "Meeting the needs of vulnerable children, adults and elders is ascribed with a high priority by the council."