Blaenau Gwent social services were criticised in 2003 and 2004

Blaenau Gwent social services was said to be failing vulnerable children according to reports in 2003 and 2004.

It has been reviewed every three months by the Social Services Inspectorate for Wales but that level of scrutiny has ended after improvements were made.

Welsh Health Minister Dr Brian Gibbons said the council had "achieved a significant turnaround".

In 2004, then-health minister Jane Hutt told the assembly that many children on the child protection register in Blaenau Gwent did not have a dedicated social worker.

They deserve congratulation for the substantial progress they have made in overcoming serious past problems and improving the service to vulnerable children and their families Health Minister Dr Brian Gibbons

Social Services Inspectorate for Wales reports in 2003 and 2004 highlighted serious problems including bullying, under-qualified social workers, broken rules, poor management and staff bullying.

Wales' Children's Commissioner Peter Clarke said at the time he found the report "shocking and disturbing".

But a new review said the council had made significant improvements and the detailed monitoring of services every three months will now end.

Dr Gibbons said: "The council and its officers have achieved a significant turnaround.

"While the improvement journey is not yet complete, there is strong leadership and a much improved culture and services for vulnerable children are getting rapidly better.

"They deserve congratulation for the substantial progress they have made in overcoming serious past problems and improving the service to vulnerable children and their families."

'Normal business'

Acting Chief Inspector of Social Services, Richard Tebboth, said: "The morale of staff has been transformed and performance is improving.

"The council now responds much more promptly to initial concerns about children and is much more reliable in planning for their welfare and reviewing progress.

"The relationship between the inspectorate and the council can now revert to one of normal business."

Workers at Blaenau Gwent social services said the measures had been worthwhile.

Gail Whitworth, team manager for children with disabilities, said: "That has brought its stresses but out of that, people have had a goal to work to.

"They have worked hard to meet all the performance indicators that they have got to meet."

The improvements at Blaenau Gwent follow the announcement on Wednesday that Wales' largest social services department, Cardiff, was also no longer under Welsh Assembly Government scrutiny.

The city's social services department had been heavily criticised in the way it dealt with protecting vulnerable children and in 2002, it received one of the worst inspection reports in Wales and England before improvements were made.