The majority of children’s services in England are up to standard but 12 councils are performing poorly, according to the government inspectorate.

The official rating of councils by Ofsted confirmed 20 councils are providing excellent services, double the number for the previous year.

In addition, 77 councils are performing well, with 37 councils rated as providing adequate services.

But the watchdog raised concern at 12 councils deemed to be performing poorly overall. They are Salford, Birmingham, Calderdale, Doncaster, Essex, Kent, Leeds, Sandwell, Torbay, Nottinghamshire, Peterborough, and Worcestershire.

The ratings were based on inspection of childcare, schools, child protection services and safeguarding, children’s social care and provision in the learning and skills sector.

Chief Inspector of Ofsted, Christine Gilbert, praised the improvements made by councils: ‘Once again the majority of councils are providing services for children and young people that are good or better.

‘It is particularly welcome that examples of excellence can be found up and down the country and in all types of local authority, from rural areas to metropolitan centres. These authorities are to be congratulated for the work they are doing to ensure children and young people in their area get the best possible start in life. The critical issue of safeguarding, which was at the root of the case of Baby Peter, was the main problem for the 12 councils rated as poor.

Ms Gilbert said: ‘The minority of councils that are performing poorly were put in this category primarily because they are not doing enough to keep children safe. Inadequacies have been identified in their approach to safeguarding children.

‘These authorities know where improvements are needed and have plans in place to improve. There is much they can learn from the examples of those authorities who are performing well and excellently.’

Baroness Shireen Ritchie, Chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said the worst councils would be helped to improve: ‘It’s encouraging that the proportion of children’s services within councils deemed to have performed excellently has doubled. This is testament to the hard work of social workers and other council staff in these local authorities.’

‘However, where standards have been judged as poor, there is no doubt that more needs to be done to make improvements and help those authorities to get up to standard. There is no room for complacency when it comes to keeping children safe from harm. Councils want to do this as well as they can and will be working together to share expertise and challenge each other to improve.’