HEALTH officials have asked Lancashire social services bosses to explain why they are failing to visit children on the Children Protection Register every six weeks.

The move comes after the Department of Health's Social Services Inspectorate published its annual report of all social services departments in the country.

It revealed that, according to figures provided by local authorities, children on the Child Protection Register in inner city areas like Tower Hamlets in London are more likely to be visited on time than the 218 youngsters on Lancashire's list.

Last month, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed that statistics presented to the SSI by the county council showed just 11 per cent of children on the register where visited every six weeks, as demanded by Government targets.

Children are placed on the register if they are believed to be at risk of abuse -- emotional, physical or sexual -- or neglect.

The SSI report is based on 43 performance indicators covering the wide range of services offered. Overall, Lancashire rated as doing a good job, but inspectors said there 'was still much to do.'

But in the table of authorities' performance for children on the child protection register, the county council slumped to 110th out of 140.

The number of children visited on time had fallen from 52 per in 99/00 to just 11 per cent. Questions will now be asked about why the service is poor.

Blackburn with Darwen Council was deemed to be doing a good job, with more than 64per cent of youngsters seen on time -- just below the national average.

County Coun Chris Cheetham, in charge of social services, has pledged to improve things, saying a major problem was that visits often were not being listed.

A new computer system has been installed and staff told they must complete visit logs. More staff are also being recruited.

He said: "I am confident that progress will be made in these areas in the next 12 months."

"To see that we are roughly in mid-table after being placed in special measures a few years ago we are obviously making improvements."

Performance in the majority of areas has improved on the previous year with most aspects of service covered being described as good or acceptable.

The council was praised for improving care for elderly people and providing more services to keep pensioners at home if that is what they want.