SOCIAL Services in the North-East have been forced to take on extra case workers after being inundated with calls about possible child abuse in the wake of the Baby P tragedy.

The news comes as a damning report identified worrying gaps in NHS child protection services, despite a Government promise to do more.

A report into Baby P’s death, published last month, highlighted “systemic failings” in the NHS care given to the little boy before his death.

Yet fewer than half of NHS staff dealing with child protection issues have up-to-date training, according to a survey by the Care Quality Commission.

In the North-East, Stockton Borough Council has taken on six social workers, one manager and an administrator to work between the people taking the initial calls and the people looking at serious cases.

Darlington Borough Council has also employed a new member of staff.

Social workers across the region are being inundated with calls as people react with extreme caution to possible signs of abuse.

Stockton has seen figures rocket in the first two months of this financial year.

In the past three years, the number of referrals has been less than 2,000 every year, however, with more than 450 recorded after only two months this year, if the trend continues referrals could jump by more than 25 per cent.

Calls included: ● A mother claiming she could no longer cope with her badly behaved teenage son; ● A mum and her two children who needed to take refuge following domestic violence; ● Police searching a house requested social workers check on children after becoming concerned about the state of the house.

Councillor Alex Cunningham, Stockton Borough Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “We have seen an increase in case referrals, so it is not just calls.

“We have taken on a new team to look after cases after the initial calls, before referring them to social workers.”

Gill Hale, regional secretary for the Unison union said: “In light of Baby P and the effect the current economic downturn is having on families, it is important more social workers are being employed.”

A Darlington council spokeswoman said: “We have employed a new member of staff and have secured Government funding to help families deal with difficult situations.”

Officials in Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, North Yorkshire and County Durham have all reported a surge in reports and say they are monitoring the workload closely.