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Latest news in Yorkshire: September 17, 2018 09:03:43 PM
Numbers of children in the care of Rotherham Council are expected to fall in
the months ahead after numbers spiked earlier this year, contributing to a
situation which has left the authoritys expected spending on children and
young people £13m adrift for the current year.
The councils ruling Cabinet has been told those figures are expected to
fall back into line by the end of the financial year, with the authority
putting into place cost saving measures which include only replacing staff
who are vital to the departments operation and introducing a new care
system designed to help speed up the process of getting young people back
living with their families.
The cost of supporting children in care is a major expense for the council
and numbers have increased greatly this year, with 21 fresh cases in July
alone, from an increase of 33 over the course of the year to that point.
But since then numbers have declined and the hope is they will continue to
fall, which is a benefit to both the community and the councils finances. A
further pressure has been a Government decision to allow young people up to
the age of 25 access to local authorities assistance schemes for those
leaving care and supporting themselves as adults.
In Rotherham, the system is highly rated by Ofsted, meaning it is recognised
as beneficial by those who use it, so has a high take up rate.
Councillor Gordon Watson, the Cabinets spokesman for children and young
people, told colleagues: The number of young people accessing leaving care,
that is going up.
One reason is that it now covers young people up to the age of 25. I am not
criticising this, it is a fact.
The leaving care service (in Rotherham) is outstanding, Ofsted have said
that.
One effect is young people want to be part of the leaving care service
because it does such a good job.
It is an extra expense, due to the fact it is so good. You wouldnt want it
any other way, he said.
The meeting also heard of other areas where spending is outstripping initial
predictions, with work being done to bring the sums back into line.
Council leader Chris Read told the meeting: We set out at the start of the
year with a budget contingency.
We are predicting we will come in within that contingency.
We are having to take quite firm measures within budgets to make sure we
dont spend where it is not necessary. It is a real challenge. This is the
reality of austerity coming through, he said.
The trial continues….
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News source: thestar.co.uk