Huge cost of children’s care ‘cannot morally continue’

CHILDREN’S social care costs £3billion a year more than thought, a Government-appointed review has revealed, as experts warn the sector “cannot afford” to continue “morally or financially”.

The Government announced an independent review of children’s social care in January 2021, with the final report due to be published in the spring of next year.

Josh Macalister, the chairman of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care in England and founder of Frontline, the charity which recruits top graduates into social work, has called the children’s services system a “tower of Jenga held together by Sellotape” in need of major reform and investment. However, for the first time, new analysis reveals the financial and social cost of the sector. The Daily Telegraph has seen a copy of the review’s costings report, which reveals England spends £13.1billion a year on children’s social care and associated services.

Spending on children’s social care by local authorities is usually estimated at £10.5billion. However, the review has found the total is estimated to be almost 25 per cent higher, with an extra £1.2billion spent by central and local government on care proceedings and £1.3billion on public services provided to children who need a social worker.

Mr Macalister said: “The toll of early adversity, loss and trauma for children who have social care involvement is substantial and is borne acutely over a lifetime by children themselves. The moral case for change is indisputable.

“This report estimates the social cost, at £23billion per year, and adds financial weight to the case for change. We cannot afford, in financial or moral terms, to keep on with more of the [same].”

Mr Macalister, who was appointed by Gavin Williamson, the former education secretary, will address the findings in a speech to the National Children and Adult Services Conference later today.