SOCIAL services chiefs in Kent have described as "absolute nonsense" a claim they are taking more children into care to qualify for government cash bonuses.

Kent County Council was identified as one of two authorities that had been offered more than £2million in so-called government "reward grants" if it encouraged more adoptions.

But the claim was dismissed as "insulting" by the politician in charge of children and families policy at County Hall.

Cllr Dr Tony Robinson (Con), cabinet member for children and families, said KCC had been rewarded with some grant money but rejected the idea that it had done so by meeting adoption targets.

He said: "It is an absolute nonsense and frankly insulting to suggest actions taken by social workers and sanctioned by the courts are, or could be in any way influenced by the payment of grant."

The overall number of children in care in Kent in 2007 had fallen to 1,162 from 1,342 in 2003 precisely because more efforts were being made to keep families together, he added.

While the number of babies aged less than a week taken into care in Kent had shown a small rise to 44 in 2007 compared to 31 in 2003, the increase was attributed by Dr Robinson to "better pre-birth assessments of parents".

Kent is only one of two authorities nationally that is running what is called a "concurrency scheme" which focuses on offering intensive support to parents unable to look after their children.

Liberal Democrat MP John Hemmings said government policy meant social workers were "seizing very young children on the flimsiest of excuses".

He said: "The offer of monetary rewards for meeting the targets has created a frenzy among social workers."