Researchers found links between increased outsourcing of residential care placements by local authorities in England and worse outcomes for children in care in terms of placement stability and distance from home.
The findings come from a review of placement stability and locality for children in care in England between 2011 and 2022.
On average, levels of for-profit outsourcing were found to have risen steadily over the same period.
Plymouth Council placed just 23 per cent of children in their care with for-profit companies in 2011, rising to 49 per cent in 2022 – the biggest increase identified by researchers.
The increase has coincided with a rise in the proportion of children placed out of area across all local authorities, according to the report.
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