OFSTED has begun a two-day inspection of children’s services in St Helens – three months after saying children were being placed in “significant risk of harm”.

The watchdog carried out a focused visit, which looked at aspects of St Helens Council’s children’s services, in July.

In its findings, Ofsted said there was a “systemic failure” to address weaknesses and said the council needed to take “swift and decisive action” in a number of areas.

Cllr Joe Pearson, cabinet member for developing young people, revealed during a meeting of the council’s audit and governance committee that a new two-day Ofsted inspection is due to start on Tuesday.

The council’s latest internal audit progress report revealed an internal audit review in relation to looked after children has been put on hold due to July’s Ofsted visit.

The review is scheduled to commence in the final quarter of the financial year.

Cllr Pearson asked Cath Fogarty, strategic director for corporate service, how this week’s visit will affect the scheduling.

Ms Fogarty said: “Internal audit will always strive to work with managers to give assurance to and assistance to senior managers.

“It isn’t helpful to have one or more concurrent reviews of the same area. It takes up valuable resources and isn’t in anybody’s interest.

“Internal audit very carefully analyses the reviews of any external inspections and in their next review will include progress made against any recommendations made from external reviews, as part of the remit.