TEN children a week are being left at risk in Lancashire because children's homes across the county are full to bursting, according to the council workers' union, UNISON.

This follows Lancashire County Council's decision to close seven children's homes across the county, including Fylde Community Home in Poulton which finally closes its doors in July.

But yesterday (Wednesday) county cabinet member for social services, Chris Cheetham, said the claims about children at risk were unsubstantiated.

Tim Ellis regional officer of UNISON said: "The situation of child care in Lancashire is a growing crisis. We are calling for a moratorium on children's home closures and more child placements now. We fear the situation is like a ticking bomb -- a tragedy waiting to happen.

"UNISON has become involved as a lot of our members work in children's homes or are social workers. They are apalled at the situation and scared it is a recipe for something awful to happen.

"LCC said they would substitute the children's home places with foster carers, but they haven't and now children who are at risk are being left in bad situations as there is nowhere to put them.

"Social workers are reporting that children at risk are being placed in inappropriate placements, being placed out of the county away from their home area or are just left in the place of risk because there are no placements available.

"Also children who require long-term care are being shunted into emergency hostels and homes to cope with the numbers and are suffering because of it."

LCC plans to close seven children's homes this year. Six are in Preston and Chorley plus Fylde Community Home in Poulton which The Citizen revealed last year was to close. A further four homes (yet to be revealed) are to close over the next few years which will reduce the number of spaces from 180 to 106.

Cabinet member for Social Services, Chris Cheetham, said: "UNISON has got hold of the wrong end of the stick. We are to close homes in line with an increase of alternative facilities such as fostering and adoption. Everybody would agree that we need to be putting fewer young people into residential care.

"We do need more foster carers it's true, but we have never turned down a request for an emergency placement. UNISON's concerns are probably more for their members which is fair enough.

"Fylde Community is also a different issue altogether as it is a home for children with specific problems and they are not local kids. Fylde's numbers were significantly reducing anyway. The Dales Secure Unit will stay open which we run in partnership with the Home Office and the places are bought by the Youth Justice Department.

"As for the claims of ten children a week being left at risk, we have asked UNISON for names, dates and places and we will reply on a case by case basis, but we have had no comeback. We have even asked across the table and received a stony silence. These claims are unsubstantiated."

Last year Lancashire County Council lost approximately 120 fosterers and only gained 100 new fosters.

UNISON and the Care Leavers Association have now written to Lancashire County Council and MPs about their concerns and an urgent meeting with the council is being sought.

No children's home will close in Blackpool's unitary authority, but social service chiefs in Blackpool are throwing open their doors on June 11 from 7-8pm to highlight the need for more foster carers in the resort.

There are around 150 children living with foster families in Blackpool on any one day and all these children are individuals and need to be placed with carers carefully chosen to meet their needs.

There are no age limits and single people as well as families or cohabiting couples can apply to become foster carers.

The open evening, run by Blackpool Borough Council's Family Placement Team, will be at Progress House, next door to the Tesco store in Clifton Road, Blackpool. Anyone interested can call 477656/477649.