'Too late' for child death probe

Mr Mahmood said it was "not an issue that could be swept under the carpet"

Any changes prompted by an inquiry into Birmingham social services after eight children died over three years would be "too little too late", an MP said.

Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood said work had to be done to improve the department's procedures but said it came too late for some children.

His comments came as the city council was working with a government intervention team.

The council has said the number of deaths had not increased annually.

The eight children who died had all been known to social services in the city.

A recent report by children's services watchdog Ofsted detected "inadequacies" in the council's ability to safeguard vulnerable children.

A council spokesman said they had been working with the government on the issues since December.

'Do something'

The intervention team consists of experts from the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) who liaise with Birmingham social services.

Mr Mahmood said: "With every single child, it is too little too late. But we need to do something."

He added: "What we're talking about is not an issue we can sweep under the carpet.

"We are supposed to be there to protect these young children and if we can't do that there's something seriously wrong."

Tony Howell, chairman of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board previously said that the city had the largest local authority in Europe, which catered for more than 250,000 children and teenagers.

He said: "Whilst the death of every child is a tragedy, the number of deaths in Birmingham has not increased annually.

"We have been working closely with the DCSF, the government office of the West Midlands and Ofsted since December 2008 to ensure any improvements that can be made are put into practice."

The DCSF has said that ministers would decide shortly whether further action was needed to be taken in Birmingham.

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