So credit has to go to the government for listening to the strong arguments put forward by the fostering lobby and acting on them by introducing earlier this month a staying-put duty on councils that will take effect from April 2014.
The £40m three-year funding package to help councils cover the cost of providing three years of additional financial support is, of course, welcome, but questions are already being raised as to whether it accurately reflects the bill heading councils' way. These concerns are understandable. The Department for Education has based its sums for the funding on a three-year staying-put care placement costing £5,400, or an average of £1,800 annually. Contrast this with the government's own analysis of the Staying Put pilots which valued the annual social care cost of placements to be £7,000, or £21,000 over three years.
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
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
