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Almost 100,000 children could be in care by 2025, councils warn

2 mins read Children's Services
Council leaders have warned that nearly 100,000 children could be in care by 2025, prompting urgent calls to support an “unrelenting” focus on keeping families together.
More children risk being taken into care due to cuts to early help services, councils have warned. Picture: Adobe Stock
More children risk being taken into care due to cuts to early help services, councils have warned. Picture: Adobe Stock

Latest figures released by the County Councils Network (CCN) predict the number of care placements could hit a record high - up from 69,000 in 2015 - forcing local authorities to spend up to 60 per cent of their budgets to support these vulnerable children.

It is warning that a reliance on expensive care placements could see councils in England spend £3.6bn a year more in 2025 on children in care than figures recorded a decade ago.

Unless major reform and investment is made, such increased financial pressure will inevitably mean less money is available for other services to support families, the CCN said.

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