OFFICIAL reports into the deaths of three South Wales youngsters will be released next week.

A trio of serious case reviews are due to be made public on Friday after lengthy investigations.

It is thought that one will provide long-awaited answers into the tragic drug-related death of 16-year-old Carly Townsend.

Serious Case Reviews are held when a child dies and abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the death.

The three reviews have been undertaken by the Swansea Safeguarding Children's Board, which suggests the three children had all come into contact with the authorities before their deaths.

While no details have officially been released, it is understood that one relates to the death in May, 2007 of Llanelli school girl Carly Townsend.

Just last week there were fresh demands for answers over the teenager's death.

Carly died followed her release from Neath's Hillside Secure Unit, and came 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.

They failed to call an ambulance as the youngster lay dying at the family home after injecting herself with heroin.

No official explanation into whether Carly's death could, or should, have been prevented by social workers has ever been given.

It is unclear which cases the other two reports deal with and a spokesman for the Swansea Safeguarding Children's Board refused to disclose their identities — although the reports will be released next week.

He said: "Three Serious Case Reviews are due to be published on March 19.

"It would be inappropriate to comment ahead of publication."

Council leader Chris Holley said: "We are anxious to see what learning points there are from these reviews."

The release of the reports comes just days before the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales' (CSSIW) verdict on Swansea Council's troubled Child and Family Services department will be delivered.

Deputy minister for social services Gwenda Thomas is expected to announce the findings of the CSSIW's January inspection of the department on Tuesday, March 23, at the Senedd.

The news that the deaths of three young people have been investigated — no matter what the contents of the reports — could cast a cloud over any improvements made by the department over the past year.

The Swansea Safeguarding Children's Board is a multi-partner organisation made up of groups including the council, police and health boards.

It is chaired by Chris Maggs, the head of Swansea Council's social services department.

In the cases that are due to be reported on Friday by the Swansea Safeguarding Children's Board, independent experts were called in to conduct the reviews.

Last year CSSIW said reviews can cost up to £200,000 each.