Silent crisis of inadequate councils caring for thousands of children

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”.

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Mobz5i