THE number of children being referred to social services in Bexley has rocketed in the wake of the “Baby P” case.

Now the council has been forced to pump in extra cash to pay for more social workers and lawyers.

Following the publicity surrounding the case of 17-month old Peter Donnelly, who was died despite being on Haringey Council’s “at risk” register, referrals of children to Bexley’s social care teams have risen by 37 per cent.

The number of children subject to a care protection plan has risen by 55 per cent and the number of looked after children by eight per cent.

A new public protection desk set up by the police to co-ordinate referrals to child social care dealt with 280 referrals in the year to January 2009, compared with 169 in the previous year.

The latest figures show referrals have now risen to 350.

Child care applications by Bexley to the family court have also risen, with 109 applications between January and August last year, compared with 31 the year before.

The additional money, totalling more than £1m, looks set to be approved by the ruling Tory cabinet as its finalises its plans for the council’s 2010/11 budget.

Bexley had already been forced to put more money into this year’s budget and has recruited some of the extra staff it will need to keep up with demand.

Council officers say national concern over the protection of vulnerable children following the Baby P case “makes it inevitable demand (and indeed expectations) on children’s and legal services will continue to rise in the forseeable future”.

Cabinet member for children’s services, Councillor June Slaughter welcomed the extra cash, saying: “Because of the significant increase in referrals to the social care teams, additional resources had to be found, and we have done so.”

Council leader Councillor Teresa O’Neill added: “We are not alone. Many other councils are having to do the same thing.”