From next month, all local authorities will be able to delegate responsibility for children’s social care services to an independent provider from the voluntary or private sectors.
The government has said it is taking the step because regulations set out in the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 that allowed councils to trial the arrangements over the past five years are due to end in November.
In order to allow the pilot projects to continue, it is triggering Part 1 of the Act that will allow any local authority to delegate functions.
However, critics have rounded on the idea. They say the initial consultation in January was not widely publicised and fear the changes could be potentially damaging for children in care.
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