£27,000 bill for a week of care

CHESHIRE West and Chester Council was charged more than £27,000 by a private home to look after one vulnerable child for a week, new figures have revealed.

- BY MARK SMITH, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER

Data obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service under the Freedom of Information Act indicate the extent of the costs borne by the authority for providing accommodation for looked after children.

Councils are required by law to provide accommodation to children in need but costs are increasingly skyrocketing nationally due to increasing demand and lack of provision.

More councils are relying on private firms to provide accommodation but this can incur significant costs. According to the data, the council works with 37 private children’s home providers.