The think-tank Policy Exchange has slammed councils for failing to fill vacancies in their social services teams and that a lack of experienced workers is putting children at risk.

A new report, Reforming Social Work, published today, warns councils could be in danger of missing incidents of abuse and neglect and calls for social workers' training programmes to be reformed.

According to Freedom of Information requests submitted to local authorities by the Policy Exchange, 13 councils have 50 or more vacancies in their social services teams, while four have 100 or more and two have more than 200.

‘For social services to be effective they must have skilled, motivated and qualified staff,' said report author, Guy Miscampbell.

‘An increasing demand for adult social care as more people are living longer, combined with tighter adult and child social care budgets among local authorities means that simply increasing financial investment is not the answer.

‘We need a root and branch structural reform of services and training to deliver better outcomes with limited resources.'

But Bridget Robb, interim chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, said: ‘This is a politically motivated report that attempts to shift the blame for lack of resources onto the workforce.

‘As for life experience, the average newly qualified social worker is in their thirties, as was David Cameron when he became leader of the Conservative party.'