YOU are confused about 'Star Ratings' as they only measure what they are set out to measure, as such organisations who do well on the measured issues will get a high rating.

Star, or any other 'objective' rating can only assess the measurable. Individual experiences may be experienced as extremely bad and families who have suffered from unusual experiences cannot feel the same as the assessors.

Social Services, in particular, have an almost impossible job especially dealing with young people and trying to balance the particular needs of an individual against the standards of society and both staff and young people sometimes make mistakes.

I am confident that staff of Blackburn with Darwen Social Services Department are trying to do their best with young people who do not have the available support of their families and employees can rarely substitute for full-time family members.

They, the staff, must be just as affected by the horrifying disasters in the last few years as anyone else, but they try their best and no-one can always be right, so mistakes happen. Children also may not tell the full story and in giving trust you may be let down through no fault of your own.

As a society, we employ people to try to make up for support which was not present and it cannot always get it right.

BRIAN TODD, Heys Lane, Blackburn.