CYP Now - Spending on independent care placements for children up by £2bn, research reveals

Council spending on children's residential and fostering placements with independent providers has increased by more than £2bn over the last two years, analysis has found.

Private residential care placements have increased by 29 per cent, figures show. Picture: Adobe Stock

This is a rise of 21 per cent compared with local authority spending of £1.6bn in 2017/18.

Over this period spending on residential care placements in the independent sector has seen the sharpest increase, of 29 per cent, compared with a 13 per cent rise in foster care spending.

In addition, councils spent a further £900m on placements in special schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the independent and non-maintained sector.

The figures have emerged in the latest report by Revolution Consulting, commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) into profit making and risk among children’s social care placement providers.

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