A probe will be launched into children's services in Doncaster after the deaths of seven children.

Ministers are sending in a "diagnostic team" to the South Yorkshire local authority, whose children's department was recently slammed by inspectors.

In one of the seven cases, which has chilling echoes of the Baby P case in Haringey, 16-month-old Amy Howson was murdered by her father who snapped her spine.

In October James Howson, 25, was told he must spend a minimum of 22 years in prison and Amy's mother, Tina Hunt, also 25, was given a 12-month suspended sentence after admitting cruelty.

Leeds Crown Court heard that health visitors went to the house but were shunned by Howson, who went to extreme measures to make sure all visitors were vetted.

Serious case reviews have been ordered into this and the other seven deaths. The findings of three have already been made public and involved toddlers aged less than one-year-old who were abused or neglected before they died.

It was found there were a series of missed opportunities for social workers to intervene before the three deaths.

The review found that social workers were working "against the backdrop of unmanageable workloads" which led to a "chaotic and dangerous situation" within the child protection team.

Last month the education watchdog Ofsted rated Doncaster's children's services as "inadequate".

Children's Minister Beverley Hughes has written to Doncaster Council, saying: "I was very concerned to see that inspectors have raised a number of very serious issues about services for children and young people in Doncaster."

She added: "It is crucial that the root causes of these failings are fully explored and that the capacity and capability of the Council and its key partners to drive improvement in these areas is fully assessed.

"I have therefore instructed my officials to commission a thorough diagnostic review to evaluate the current position of the council's provision of children's services."

Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls said a new director of children's services at Doncaster Council was put in place several months ago and the council was co-operating fully with Government experts.

He said: "Doncaster are fully aware over the serious concerns we have. They are fully co-operating with us as our experts assess what is needed in Doncaster and we will take whatever action is necessary, I very much hope in close co-operation with the council.

Liberal Democrat children's spokesman David Laws said: "It is extremely worrying that key weaknesses appear to have been identified in yet another council's children's services department.

"Swift action must follow the current review and copies of the recent serious case reviews must be released with safeguards taken to protect identities. The public has a right to know what has gone wrong."

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