Kingston and Richmond's joint child services regime - run by the Achieving for Children company - might be about to expand after the borough of Windsor and Maidenhead approached the councils to discuss joining the group.

Achieving for Children (AfC) was set up in 2014 in the wake of damning Ofsted inspections of Kingston's child services, which followed the murder of Charito Cruz by her boyfriend in 2012.

It has seen Kingston's rating rise from 'inadequate' to 'good', while Richmond boasts 'good' services with outstanding features.

A report to Kingston councillors ahead of a full council meeting tomorrow said: "When the councils established AfC the intention was to grow the company after a period of consolidation. That period of consolidation is now over.

"To date growth has been at the margins involving assisting authorities with an OFSTED ‘inadequate’ rating to improve.

"However, Kingston and Richmond Councils have been approached by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to discuss them joining the company, which presents a more significant growth opportunity.

"The possibility and implications are currently being assessed and reports will be brought forward in due course, including consequential governance changes."

Such rapid growth means that the roles of chief executive and director of children's services must be separate, officers said, and any new authority joining the group would needs its own director of children's services.

Current director Nick Whitfield is due to step down, taking partial retirement while retaining his chief executive role.