THURROCK Council have confirmed that its children's department is currently undergoing an Ofsted inspection but has played down reports that the visit could be problematic for the authority.

There has been local speculation that the visit by inspectors is linked to the council's track record of children going 'missing' from its records.

Earlier this month Thurrock Nub News reported on a council report that highlighted concerns over that issue. The report to the latest meeting of the authority's Corporate Parenting Committee revealed from January to March this year there were 105 reports of missing children.

These included two unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, aged 16 and 17, who are still missing after disappearing in March. Two other teens are also currently missing.

However, cabinet member for children's services and education Cllr Barry Johnson, told Thurrock Nub News today (Tuesday, 22 June):"This Ofsted inspection is taking place as part of the 'Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services' (ILACS) process.

"Every local authority children's services receives one form of inspection under the ILACS framework each year. Like many councils we didn't have an inspection last year due to the pandemic.

"This is a notified Ofsted inspection for which the council was given 10 days' notice. Any speculation that visit is taking place as anything other than normal procedure is completely unfounded."