Paying private firms to care for children is 'unsustainable', an ex-Children's Commissioner says.
Anne Longfield says it costs about £200,000 each year to look after a child in residential care
Ms Longfield, who was the Children's Commissioner for England until 2021, said a shortage of children's home places meant councils having to write "blank cheques" to private companies.'Completely broken' However, if suitable accommodation cannot be found, a council will commission a private provider to step in while retaining responsibility for the child.
The most recent accounts showed they made £38m in post-tax profits in the latest reporting period - a rise of a third from the previous financial year. The Children's Home Association , which represents both public and private providers, said its members were helping to safeguard some of the most vulnerable children in society, while dealing with rising costs.
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