A team of experts is to advise the council on improvements

The inspectors found that some children on the at-risk register in the Plymouth area do not have an allocated social worker.

The inspection of Plymouth City Council's Children and Families Service was carried out in May.

The council admits the department has "sunk as far as it can go".

It is hoping a team of experts due to arrive in October will help bring about radical improvements.

We're in a process to trying to turn this ship around Chris Pattison, Plymouth City Council

A previous inspection had rated the city's service as one star.

That is now likely to fall to no stars as a result of the latest report.

Since the report was compiled, the number of non-allocated children has halved.

But it is still considered to be a very serious problem.

As a result, the council has invited in a team of government experts to help it improve.

Councillor Chris Pattison, who is responsible for social services, said: "We have to hold out hands up and accept the fact that this is almost certainly going to leave us with no stars as an authority once the performance ratings come out in November.

Government team

"But the government is saying our plans are good, our management is good and our leadership has taken us into a new direction and taking us forward.

"We're in a process to trying to turn this ship around to take us from where we are today and taking us to where we want to be, which would be a two-star authority in two years' time and excellent in three."

The government team is due to arrive in October and improvements are expected to be seen within six months.