“Urgent action” is still needed to improve child care services in a part of Wales where a five-year-old boy was murdered by his family, inspectors have said.

There remain “serious concerns” with the children’s service department which had oversight of Logan Mwangi, the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) said as it published its report into Bridgend County Borough Council.

The inspection in May 2022 came nearly a year after Logan was murdered by his mother, step-father, and a teenage boy – who were all given life sentences.

The young boy suffered “catastrophic” internal injuries consistent with a “brutal and sustained assault” likened to a car crash.

The CIW found that the local authority had taken action to instigate “immediate learning” following recent critical incidents.

But it said that there was still a “variation” in the quality of services and social work practice provided to children and families.

Specifically, inspectors found “missed opportunities” to record and capture children’s views, with an overreliance on parents’ views, in some cases.

It also raised issues about staff absence and recruitment and an overdependence on newly qualified and agency social workers.

CIW chief inspector, Gillian Baranski, said she was pleased to acknowledge some improvement since the last inspection in April 2021 but added that: “Further urgent action must be taken to secure and sustain improvement in the care and support for children and families in Bridgend. This work must be prioritised to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.”

Bridgend County Borough Council cabinet member for social services and early help, Councillor Jane Gebbie, welcomed the report.

She said: “A great deal of work has already taken place to improve the overall quality of our services for children and their families, and much of this has been highlighted by the report.

“For example, we have commissioned a programme of independent quality assurance to assess the strengths and areas for development in children’s services, are actively recruiting new employees, and are carefully redeploying existing staff to provide additional support in areas experiencing the most pressure.

“The council also remains committed towards strengthening the overall effectiveness and resilience of its services for children, and we will continue to liaise closely with the inspectors as we seek to deliver further improvements.”

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Separate to CIW’s report, a Child Practice Review is under way, led by Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board, which is looking into agencies’ involvement with Logan and his family to identify what lessons can be learnt for the future.

That report is expected in the autumn.