CALLS are being made for all councillors across Worcestershire to be offered mandatory training on child abuse.

The plea has come from the deputy leader of Worcester City Council, who says it should be a requirement for anyone elected to public office.

As the Worcester News has reported extensively in recent weeks, Ofsted has graded Worcestershire's children's services 'inadequate' in a scathing verdict.

The failure has led to Worcestershire County Council drawing up an eight-point plan to try and turn it around.

But while all 57 county councillors are getting mandatory training on spotting the signs of child abuse, it does not apply to more than 150 councillors sitting on district authorities across Worcestershire.

Labour Councillor Joy Squires, the city council's deputy leader, has lambasted the Ofsted verdict as one of "the most shocking events of the year" in the county.

She says the training should be extended so those serving the public below the top tier of local government are more clued up.

"This council (the city council) is very, very clear indeed - everyone has a responsibility to protect children," she said.

"We have a key role to play, not least because we have considerable contact with the public, and most of us will have had times when we wondered if we should report something.

"Safeguarding training should be mandatory for all councils - we need a concerted effort.

"Not only would it build on our understanding on what to do if we have concerns, but it would give the public more confidence."

She also said all staff are being offered safeguarding training, and added that the city council is "reviewing" its position on making sure third-party contractors have workers properly trained in spotting the signs of child abuse.

She made her remarks during a council meeting, where she said she felt "anger" about the Ofsted verdict back in January.

Ofsted found evidence of "widespread and serious failures" in Worcestershire during a detailed investigation which took place back in October and November.

The inspectors said "corporate failure" had left children "at continued risk of significant harm" in a brutal verdict.

The Conservative leadership has responded by pumping an extra £3.5 million into the 2017/18 children's services budget, on top of the existing £77 million.