Freedom of information response

Children's social care spending

Publication date: 
Friday 17 May 2024
Request: 

I am writing with a request under the Freedom of Information Act. Could I ask, for the financial years 2018-19, 22-23 and 23-24:

1. How much did your local authority spend on providing residential placements to children taken into the council's care? Please provide a breakdown for each year, including a projected spend for the rest of 23-24 if it is available.

2. Of that figure, how much of the figure was spent on private-sector residential placements? Again, please provide a breakdown for each year and include a projected spend for the rest of 23-24 if it is available.

3. How many children were taken into the council's care for each financial year?

Response: 

I am writing with a request under the Freedom of Information Act. Could I ask, for the financial years 2018-19, 22-23 and 23-24:

1. How much did your local authority spend on providing residential placements to children taken into the council's care? Please provide a breakdown for each year, including a projected spend for the rest of 23-24 if it is available.

         

Year

Spend

     

2018-19

                                  3,887,113

     

2022-2023

                                  4,899,092

     

2023-2024 (forecast)

                                  7,803,593

     
         

2. Of that figure, how much of the figure was spent on private-sector residential placements? Again, please provide a breakdown for each year and include a projected spend for the rest of 23-24 if it is available.

All private sector (no in house residential provision).

     
         

3. How many children were taken into the council's care for each financial year?

     
         

In the below table there are the number of children (not episodes) that started to be looked after in each financial year:

 
         

Year

Number of Children becoming Looked After (started per FY)

     

2018-19

201

     

2022-2023

95

     

2023-2024 YTD

134

     
Request reference:
FOI 13788