Clearer focus required on long-term needs of children in residential care

Councils, the Scottish Government, National Health Service(NHS) boards and other bodies should be managing residential child care services better to help children and young people achieve their full potential. An Accounts Commission and Auditor General report published today, Getting it right for children in residential care, also says councils need a better understanding of the costs involved, so they can consider how their services provide value for money and possible efficiencies.

Around 1,600 children and young people are living in residential care at any one time. They are some of the most vulnerable people in society and many have very complex and challenging needs. Some children thrive, but many have poor educational attainment and experience major problems as adults, such as unemployment, homelessness, spending time in prison and mental health problems. Councils are working on becoming better ‘corporate parents’, with support from the Scottish Government. However, there still needs to be a greater emphasis on the long-term outcomes and life chances of children in residential care. Many children’s care plans lack clear action points and long-term goals.

John Baillie, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said:

“Child care is one of the most difficult and demanding aspects of council duties. Residential care cannot be expected to fix all the difficulties faced by vulnerable children and their families, but there is a lot that councils and their partners could be doing to improve these services. They need to ensure they act as ‘corporate parents’, improve their understanding of what leads to the best outcomes and focus on the support they are providing for the long term needs of each child or young person, as any good parent would for their own child.”

At least £250 million is spent on residential child care every year, with the total cost of care unknown as there are no full estimates of indirect costs. Expenditure increased by 68% between 2001/02 and 2008/09 and may rise further. Better understanding of what leads to the best outcomes would help public bodies target spending. Each council makes its own arrangements for placements, using either in-house provision or one of over 100 residential units and schools in the private and voluntary sectors. Contractual arrangements between councils and independent providers are generally weak.

John Baillie continued:

“Councils need to have clear strategies and plans in place, supported by good information about the effectiveness and costs of services, and to work more closely with other councils, residential providers and other organisations to improve how services are commissioned and organised.”

Robert Black, Auditor General for Scotland, said:

“Planning and managing services with a clearer focus on longer-term outcomes does not necessarily mean spending more money. Given the relatively small numbers of children looked after in residential care across Scotland and the very specialised nature of the services, there is considerable scope for a national strategic approach. It is encouraging that the Scottish Government has already set up a strategic implementation group involving councils, NHS boards, residential care providers and other partner organisations, but this must lead to urgent action.”