CYP Now - Rise in children's home costs shows 'limited impact of commissioning'

The weekly cost of placements at independent children’s homes has increased by 40 per cent in the past six years, indicating "limited impact of local authority commissioning", experts have said.

Jonathan Stanley, NERCC manager, said the rise suggests a lack of placements for children with complex needs

The latest of three reports charting the price trends and costs of children’s homes, published by the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Childcare (NERCC) and Revolution Consulting, states the weekly cost of placements at private and voluntary sector settings is, on average, £3,970.

This is 21 per cent higher than reported costs in 2016 (£3,273 a week) and 40 per cent more than in 2013 (£2,841 a week). On average the cost has increased by seven per cent per year.

Local authorities had paid more than £7,000 a week for placements on about 230 occasions in the year leading up to March 2019, the report states.

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