The Education Committee holds the first session of its inquiry into the children’s social care sector in England, with questions to academics and front line charity leaders.
Government data shows that the number of children receiving support from local authorities’ children’s services in 2023 was 7.3% higher than in 2010, albeit 0.3% down from 2022. The number of children on child protection plans is at 50,780 – an increase of 29.9% from 2010, but a decrease of 0.3% from 2022. The most recent data on looked-after children, including adoptions, shows a 27.5% increase since 2010, now at 83,840 children.
Evidence from Barnardo’s – which is among the organisations giving evidence to the Committee – has said the number of children in residential care has increased by 79% since 2010-11.
The cross-party Committee will question witnesses on the reasons for the sharp rises, the effect this is having on local authorities and young people, and how the trends could be reversed.
MPs will ask about the increase in children being placed outside of their local area, even outside of their region, due to the scarcity of accommodation and specialist provision in some parts of the country. The charity Become has provided evidence to the inquiry with examples of children being relocated over 500 miles from home. There may also be questions about the practice of housing unaccompanied child asylum seekers in hotels.
