Short-term thinking and lack of funding are wrecking the life chances of young people in the care of local authorities

A “silent crisis” in the care system has left more than 13,000 children with unacceptable levels of support from local authorities, an analysis warns.

Tens of thousands more are being looked after by English councils that are deemed to be in need of improvement, with warnings that a £3bn shortfall in the budget for children’s services will emerge by 2025. Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for England, said the findings cast “a stark spotlight on the inadequacies of systems that are meant to be in place to support our most vulnerable children”.

Vulnerable children are on the new frontline of a crisis in social care Read more

The analysis by the Social Market Foundation thinktank examined the treatment of “looked-after children”, who have been taken into care. It found that over the past three years, about 47,000 of the children were with local authorities deemed by Ofsted inspectors to have inadequate children’s services or services that require improvement. The figure represents almost two-thirds of all children in care. There were 13,790 in inadequate authorities.

Local councils insisted that those deemed to need improvement in some way should not be seen as failing. However, only 36% of local authorities were classed as “good” and only 2% were rated as “outstanding”.

The study warns that children in care have educational outcomes that are way below average and are significantly over-represented in the criminal justice system. Only 14% achieved five A*-C GCSEs, including maths and English, in 2015. The national average is 55%. Looked-after children are five times more likely to be excluded from school, while 39% of children in secure training centres had been in care.

Linda Briheim-Crookall, from Coram Voice, said the charity was “deeply concerned” by the findings and its own research suggested “the state is not always the best parent”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Children in care have worse educational outcomes than their peers. Photograph: Getty Images

Experiences of children in care have improved from past decades and they now achieve better results than children living with families receiving social work support. However, Longfield said standards needed to be raised. “Every day our helpline gets calls from children in care who are being forced to move or denied help, and when we investigate, lack of funding and short-term necessity are the most common explanations given,” she said. “Sometimes children are told they have to move tens of miles away because it is cheaper.

“In too many areas the system is creaking with inadequate funds and high staff turnover but it’s the most vulnerable children who are paying the price, and through no fault of their own.”

Matthew Oakley, senior researcher at the Social Market Foundation, said the report showed that “we are letting down tens of thousands of the most vulnerable children in society”. He said: “These figures should have already set alarm bells ringing in Westminster, but instead, politicians of all parties squabble on Twitter and play games over leadership.”

Anntoinette Bramble, the chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said it was wrong to suggest that councils in need of improvement were “failing” and that the latest data suggested “significant improvement”.

“Unfortunately, many councils are being pushed to the brink by unprecedented demand and increasing financial pressures, with an average of more than 270 children now taken into care or placed on a child protection plan every single day. Councils are now being forced to cut the very services which are designed to help children and families before problems begin or escalate.”

Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s national director for social care, said standards were not high enough in some areas, but added: “Since the start of 2018, about 60% of local authorities have improved their overall judgment at their most recent inspection.”

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister for children and families, said: “Where a council fails in its duty to keep a vulnerable child safe, we will not hesitate to intervene. Since 2010 we have intervened in 45 councils and we have seen services improve, and we are actively working with the weakest areas to build on improvements.”