Comment on University of Oxford research

ADCS President John Pearce said:

“The findings from this report by University of Oxford are clear about the negative impact of the extensive privatisation of residential care for children leading to a growth in unstable, short-term placements. This is not in children’s best interests. The report is the latest in a long line raising similar issues around the role of privatisation in parts of children’s services and how some providers are making excessive profits from the care of our children and young people. As the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) noted in its market study of children’s social care, the way the placement market is functioning is contributing to poor outcomes for children.

“We are the only purchasers of placements but providers can pick and choose which referrals to accept and set the price due to high levels of demand. Local authorities across the country are working hard to overcome the sufficiency challenges they face with many investing in their own children’s homes and in campaigns aimed at recruiting and retaining more foster carers, but this alone cannot solve the problem in either the short or longer term. ADCS continues to call for new legislation which prevents profiteering in children’s services and for the introduction of pricing bands and caps. The system must be driven by children’s needs, not maximising profits.”

ENDS

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