Children in care

The number of care orders approved by the courts has reached an all-time high. But it would be wrong to assume, as so many commentators have, that this is just a continuation of the spike after Peter Connelly's death and subsequent convictions. It's also fundamentally wrong to put the increase down to gung-ho social workers becoming more and more risk averse.

The reality is that courts have to make the decision, not social workers, and courts are reluctant to act unless there is powerful evidence of harm. And also remember that the costs of care are met from hard-pressed council budgets, with both professional and political scrutiny - so there is a strong incentive to reduce care applications.

But the numbers are still going up.

There are deep social issues at work, including those relating to poverty, worklessness, poor parenting skills and low levels of educational achievement, added to by unrealistic media-driven aspirations for life-style. Family break-up, alcohol and substance abuse, and domestic violence are also factors.

Another factor is that early intervention and prevention, while they may be effective, are expensive if done well, and the up-front costs are difficult to find.

Unfortunately, one of the most effective services, Sure Start, is being cut, and that is causing real problems - an example, perhaps, of the removal of costly support resulting in increased down-stream care costs.

I'm not putting forward answers, but I am saying that we - society - urgently need to find answers.