The findings show there is widespread support among local authority senior managers and practitioners for government moves to cap the profit levels private children's social care providers can make through measures in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Such a stance is understandable. Amid a crisis in local government finances, it is unsustainable for councils to continue spending £500,000 a year on individual care packages and ministers hope this will tackle it.
However, there was concern among the survey respondents that the introduction of a cap could see some providers leave the sector resulting in a decline in residential places, which are already in short supply. Reforming the care sector while maintaining placement stability is a fine balance and will require careful handling by ministers. Taking a “them and us” approach that pits private versus state provision is unlikely to work, as sector leaders have warned.
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