Councils 'fail children in care'

Children in care suffer later in life

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Councils are failing in their duties towards children in care, according to the Centre for Social Justice.

The thinktank, founded by former Tory Leader Iain Duncan-Smith, suggests that new powers for children and their advocates to take local authorities to court could be introduced as ultimate ways to take councils to task.

Its report, Couldn't Care Less, says just 12% of children in care get five good-grade GCSEs, versus a national average of 59%.

It also claims that children in care and care leavers are disproportionately more likely to become homeless, suffer mental health problems, or end up in custody.

Ryan Robson, a former Wandsworth LBC councillor who chairs the Centre for Social Justice's Children in Care working group, said local government needed to be given much more support alongside much more responsibility for children in care.

"The overall message of the report is that there are some big moves forward in terms of national policy, but it needs to be implemented on the ground," he told LGCplus.

"The fact is that there are many authorities who are not doing what they should be doing."

One of the report's recommendations is to make councils responsible for funding services to children in care who are placed in custody.

More support for foster carers, and better recruitment and retention of children's social workers are also key points.

The report is part of the think tank's Breakthrough Britain programme, many policy recommendations of which have been adopted by the Conservative Party.

However a party spokesman would not comment on the likelihood of any of the latest proposals becoming party policy.