A new HMIE report on inspection of services to protect children and young people in Aberdeen has warned children are not being given adequate protection from abuse or neglect.

The inspectors concluded that most child protection services in the Aberdeen area were weak or unsatisfactory, and raised particular concern about the amount of children living in high-risk situations with drug-abusing parents.

Responding to today's report, Education and Lifelong Learning Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "Every child in Scotland deserves to be safe and secure as they grow up.

"Ensuring fast and effective protection is available to every young person at risk of neglect or abuse is a key priority for this government and clearly HMIE's findings are very concerning."

She said Children's Minister Adam Ingram had already contacted Aberdeen City Council and other child protection agencies in the area to check the recommendations in the report are being urgently addressed.

Suggesting "considerable efforts are being made and things are moving in the right direction", Hyslop still insisted that the situation would be closely monitored. 

Labour's children and young people spokesperson, Karen Whitefield, suggested there was "no excuse for any local authority to leave vulnerable children at risk without support and protection."

She has urged ministers to ensure Aberdeen City Council takes action to make significant improvements and drops plans to cut social work budgets.

Whitefield added: "When Labour left office we also had a commitment to a Children's Bill that would have created a statutory requirement for agencies to share information about vulnerable children.

"The report in Aberdeen notes that this is absolutely central to ensure that children are properly protected and the SNP administration should bring forward this legislation immediately."