THE shocking details of the deaths of three vulnerable teenagers have been revealed.

Two cases involve drug-related deaths, while the third deals with a teenager who committed suicide.

While the full reports have not been published, Swansea Safeguarding Children Board has released the executive summaries of the cases.

The names of the children involved have been withheld, leaving them to be identified by initials — Child B, Child D and Child E.

But two of them are believed to be Chloe Davies, who was found hanging, and Carly Townsend, whose mother and half-sister were both convicted of her manslaughter.

The teenagers were known to agencies in South Wales for most or all of their lives and all three serious case reviews highlight concerns around the care they received.

The tragic circumstances of Child D, who died aged 16 in January 2008, due to contracting bronchopneumonia at home in Swansea, after taking drugs are particularly disturbing.

Shortly after his birth in Newport in February 1991, he was given by his parents to a neighbour to be brought up by her.

The neighbour moved to Swansea in October 2002, but the youngster never attended a school in the area, or was registered with a GP.

Over the years he was repeatedly seen by public agencies including social services and the police, and was taken to hospital after taking drugs.

The review highlights serious failings within Swansea social services department which was involved with Child D between 2002 and 2005.

The report states: "The review found during this period the social work staff and their immediate managers failed to apply the appropriate procedures or standards of professional practice in carrying out their duties and responsibilities towards Child D.

"Referrals were not properly considered and acted upon. Judgements were not properly reached and assessments of risk were inadequate or not carried out at all.

"No enquiries were carried out into the possible underlying causes of the child's presentation. Child D's case was closed on several occasions without enquires being carried out. The serious impact of chronic failure to receive education was not recognised.

"The Review found that there was no proper consideration of Child D's circumstances and his needs within the social services department and no identifiable principles or departmental expectations were applied."

The report also says staff who dealt with the case should be scrutinised.

It states: "The Swansea Social Services Department Report recommended that the capability of staff involved with Child D's case and who continue to work for the authority should be considered."

However, it is unclear whether any of the staff involved with the child have been disciplined or sacked.

Child B — who is believed to be 16-year-old Llanelli girl Carly Townsend — died 10 days after her release from Neath's Hillside Secure Unit, and just hours after she was visited by a social worker.

At the time she was in the care of her mother, Andrea, and half-sister, Gemma Evans, who were both convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Carly first came to the attention of the agencies when she was placed on the child protection register shortly after her birth. Carly was placed in the care of Swansea Council aged seven, when a court found that she had suffered significant harm and made a care order. Child B and the members of her family had long standing problems with drug addiction and misuse.

At different times she lived with foster parents, in residential care, independently in a flat and with her mother.

Child E, who is believed to be Chloe Davies, died in May 2008. She was found hanging and had left a suicide note. She had been living in a homeless hostel.

She and her family had been known to and received services from a number of agencies both statutory and voluntary throughout her life.

The case review states that: "There were a number of areas of concern for Child E including ongoing neglect, self harm, substance misuse, problems at school and unresolved emotional issues."

The agencies involved in the care of three teenagers have publicly apologised for letting them down in the years before their deaths.

Chris Maggs, Chair of Swansea Safeguarding Children Board, said, "On behalf of the agencies I want to say we are very sorry for letting these children down and express our condolences to their families.

"We are determined to learn the lessons of these reviews. We are implementing all of the recommendations and monitoring their effectiveness.

"One of the major lessons is that agencies should provide training and coordination to better engage those vulnerable children and families who may be unwilling to accept our support.

"The safety of children is the most important matter for the Board and I want to reassure people that we have already made a number of changes and improvements. There is better information sharing and joint working between the whole range of agencies that have contact with vulnerable young people."

David Spicer, the independent author of the reviews of Child B and Child D, said: "The Serious Case Reviews of these two cases were carried out in a very detailed and thorough manner. All the agencies involved identified lessons and actions to improve services and steps have already been taken to implement these.

"The two unrelated cases I dealt with have similarities. Both concern young people who died because they involved themselves in dangerous behaviour and took drugs. Both young people had very difficult family backgrounds. Both became more vulnerable as they grew older and involved themselves increasingly in risky behaviour.

"Both highlighted the particular difficulties for staff working to safeguard adolescents who either refuse to accept involvement or actively undermine attempts to improve their lives.

"This calls for good training and well coordinated involvement from all agencies.

"However, while Child B received a great deal of services from agencies and for most of her life was in the care of the local authority, Child D was determined to avoid any involvement with public agencies and much of what happened in his life remains unknown.

"In both cases much of the material considered related to the practices and approach taken some years ago and this had an impact on the ability to intervene effectively in the later years."