Birmingham's new director of social services, Colin Tucker, says that social work "has been on its knees" for ten years.

Mr Tucker has just sacked six "front-line" social workers for "not being up to the task we ask of them".

The department has been criticised following the death of seven year-old Khyra Ishaq who starved to death two years ago. Khyra was just one of 16 children to have died of neglect in the city between 2005 and 2009.

Mr Tucker told Today presenter that there had been "a lack of continuity and a lack of stability" within Birmingham's social services department but vowed to build "a new resolve to safeguard children more effectively".