The county’s children’s services failed to hit numerous targets last year, with 44 per cent of young people waiting more than a year before they move in with their adoptive families.

Bucks County Council’s (BCC) children’s select committee will meet on Tuesday (July 10) to discuss under-performance across the service at the end of the last financial year.

Young people set to be adopted are supposed to move in with adoptive families in less than 14 months, however just 56 per cent of children met this target at the end of March 2018.

BCC’s quality performance report stated the children’s services are “working closely” with social workers to identify suitable families who are willing to adopt.

BCC also failed to meet the 20 per cent target for the number of young people who are referred to children’s social care more than once within a 12 month period.

A total of 36 per cent of young people experienced more than one referral at the end of March 2018 – however by the end of April the figure had decreased to 29 per cent, according to a council report.

A range of objectives were met by children’s services, with 89 per cent of children in care classed as living in suitable accommodation – beating the target of 78 per cent.

The council report stated: “Care services have good working partnerships with Buckinghamshire’s Commissioners, who source suitable accommodation, and with district council housing officers.

“A housing protocol is in place and regularly reviewed.”

A total of 60 per cent of care leavers in Bucks were in employment, education and training at the end of the last financial year, compared with the target of 47 per cent.

The report added: “Work to improve performance includes the development of a skills database aiming to match care leavers to opportunities on offer, and developing new pathways to higher education in partnership with Bucks New University and St Mary's University.”