Demand and funding pressures have forced councils to overspend on children’s social care budgets by more than £3bn in the past five years, new analysis has revealed.
The Local Government Association (LGA) found more than eight in 10 councils were forced to spend more than £800m more than they planned to on children’s social care last year alone.
The analysis comes with more than 52,000 youngsters subject to a child protection plan to keep them safe from harm – an increase of 53% since 2009 – while the 78,150 children in care has increased by 28% in the past decade.
Chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, Cllr Judith Blake, said: ‘These figures show the unprecedented demand pressures facing children’s services and the care system.’
