Analysis

Children's care providers dispute ‘harmful’ profiteering rhetoric

After critical reports, trust must be rebuilt between local authorities and private sector care companies to increase placement sufficiency for children and deliver better outcomes, cross-sector experts say.
Denying charges of ‘cherry picking’, providers argue they have a responsibility to match the needs of children to others in their care. Picture: Synthex/Adobe Stock
Denying charges of ‘cherry picking’, providers argue they have a responsibility to match the needs of children to others in their care. Picture: Synthex/Adobe Stock

In its latest report examining how local authorities plan for sufficiency of accommodation that meets the needs of children in care and care leavers, Ofsted describes the relationship between some local authorities and private providers as both “important” and “fragile”.

“These relationships are not always formalised, despite being recognised as crucial. This means that links and information are sometimes lost when staff move,” states the report, which also suggests that “providers now have more power in the market and are able to choose which children they take”.

Coupled with calls by sector leaders, including chair of the Independent Review of Children's Social Care Josh MacAlister, to ban, or cap, profit-making by children's social care companies, providers say this would lead to a dramatic drop in sufficiency of placements available to local authorities with children with complex needs worst affected.

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