Redbridge Council has become the only authority in the country to receive a “good” rating for its child protection services under the new Ofsted inspection regime.

The Ofsted report noted that council had significantly invested in more staff and resources to make sure it knows which children need to be protected.

They noted the recruitment of 33 additional social work posts since the last full Ofsted inspection in 2010 has resulted in significant improvements.

Inspectors also highlighted the appropriate speed at which enquiries from people concerned about children are dealt with and that all cases are promptly allocated to a social worker.

Cllr Alan Weinberg, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We know that this new Ofsted inspection regime is extremely tough so to be the first authority in the country to be judged as good for our child protection services is a testament to the way in which our staff carry out their roles with care and empathy while following strict procedures.”