Children and Young People’s Services is addressing the increase in the number of children in care in the county of more than 25% since 2007 through the creation of a Placements Strategy for Looked After Children. The Placements Strategy aims to respond to increasing need and create a financially sustainable model which delivers a planned £8.3m of savings, as part of the overall Children’s Services savings of more than £40m from 2011 to 2015.

These savings will be delivered primarily by:

Reducing the number of children coming into care through a combination of successful and well-targeted preventative services; high quality, family-centred social work and other support at the edge of care; and good care planning that avoids drift and supports children and young people to return home where this is in their interests.

Altering the mix of placements so that a greater proportion of children and young people are supported by in-house carers rather than private providers and fewer receive high-cost residential or residential school placements.