Overspending on helping at-risk youngsters nears £1bn

National Audit Office reveals councils in England are failing to keep lid on child protection budgets

Ministers face calls for fresh investment in hard-pressed children’s social services after the public spending watchdog revealed that soaring numbers of at-risk youngsters taken into care had caused councils to overspend by nearly £1bn.

The National Audit Office (NAO) said that nine out of 10 local authorities in England were unable to keep a lid on child protection budgets in 2017-18 because of big increases in care rates, particularly among teenagers with complex needs.

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from Children | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WdNrDt