Children’s Care Costs Plague Councils: £10,000 Weekly per Child
Hundreds of children’s care home placements are costing councils over £10,000 a week, new figures obtained by The Independent show. English councils are spending these staggering amounts for at least 266 children, data from 29 of the largest councils shows. Many of these children are being housed for over a year at these rates – meaning councils are forking out at least half a million pounds per child. Council leaders said the figures demonstrated that children’s social care was “broken”, citing “market failure” as driving the “excessive costs”.
### Rising Costs and Challenges
Nine councils were paying £20,000 or more per week for their most expensive residential placement, with some even paying these amounts to council-run homes, data obtained through freedom of information requests revealed. Since 2019, there has been a seven percent increase in the number of children and young people being placed into care. But this has resulted in a 45 percent increase in those being cared for in children’s homes as there is a lack of foster carers to take people in. County councils have seen above-inflation increases in the cost of housing children in residential homes. Since 2019, the average cost of residential placements for children in care has risen 55 percent; from £3,935 per child per week to £6,108, the county councils network (CCN) said.
### Expert Insights and Concerns
In its 2022 report on the children’s social care market, the Competition and Markets Authority found that, among the largest 15 providers, profit margins averaged 22.6 percent in residential care. They said these private companies were “making materially higher profits, and charging materially higher prices, than we would expect if this market were functioning effectively.” Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, warned young people are being placed into unregulated children’s homes, such as a caravan and an Airbnb.
### Humanizing the Issue
The CEO of Become, a charity for children in care, Katharine Sacks-Jones, highlighted the concerns regarding the rising costs and profits in the children’s care system. She emphasized the impact on children, especially those with complex needs, and the challenges faced by local authorities in providing adequate care. Sacks-Jones also pointed out the increase in children in care, coupled with a reduction in foster carers, leading to children being moved across the country away from their support networks.
The article delves into the complexities of children’s care, shedding light on the challenges faced by councils, providers, and most importantly, the vulnerable children in need of support. As the costs continue to rise and the system faces scrutiny, it becomes evident that a collaborative effort is needed to ensure the well-being of these children and the sustainability of the care system.
