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Children in Care: Costs

Asked by Mike AmesburyIndependentDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 28 October 2024UIN 10763

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of capping the costs of residential care for looked after children.

Answered by Janet Daby

The department recognises that local authorities are facing rising costs to place children in care, with some private providers making excessive profits.

This is unacceptable. The department is taking a range of actions to rebalance the market and eliminate profiteering, including strengthening regulation and working with local government to make sure every child has a safe, loving home.

The department will be bringing forward measures in the Children’s Wellbeing Bill to achieve this and to return children’s social care to delivering high quality outcomes for looked after children at a sustainable cost to the taxpayer. The department will be announcing further detail in due course.

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