ADCS response: LGA research on placement costs

Responding to new LGA research on the cost of children’s social care placements John Pearce, ADCS President, said:

“This report highlights several important issues that ADCS has been consistently raising with government for years. The unmanageable costs of children’s social care placements, and the significant shortfall in suitable homes for children in our care has led to a crisis in the sector that needs immediate national action. Local authorities are the sole purchasers of placements, yet are often held to ransom by private providers due to lack of sufficiency meaning costs can be thousands of pounds a week for individual placements for children in their care. Providers can pick and choose which referrals to accept and set the price due to overwhelming demand particularly for placements for children with the complex needs. These and other issues, such as profiteering by some private providers which takes money out of the system when it should be spent on children, cannot be solved by councils alone and central government action is needed to help us meet the needs of children in care. A comprehensive national placement strategy is needed to ensure the right placements are available in the right locations and at the right time. This will need national rules to intervene and regulate all of those who wish to provide homes for our children in care. The government must now act to ensure children can access support and homes that meet their needs as well as ensuring value for money from public funds.”

ENDS

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