Finding the right care placement that meets a child’s therapeutic needs, is local to their friends and family networks, and at a price the council can afford is one of the toughest challenges in local government.
This task has been made all the harder by a surge in the number of children coming into care over the past decade, and a failure by councils and independent sector providers to open sufficient residential care settings and recruit enough foster carers.
The impact that the shortage of places has had on children and local authorities has been significant. More children are now placed further away from their home area because of a shortage of local places that fit their needs or are placed in inappropriate settings, while the number of high-cost council placements has surged.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
