Bucks Council under 'pressure' as growing number of children are put in care

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A lack of placements for children in foster and residential care is putting ‘pressure’ on Buckinghamshire Council, leaders have warned.

Placements for looked after children have become harder to find and more expensive since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Councillor Anita Cranmer, the cabinet member for education and children’s services, spoke about the national ‘placements crisis’ in a select committee meeting on Thursday.

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She said: “You are all well aware of the increasing numbers and the pressures and complexities behind this need to provide placement sufficiency.”

Bucks CouncilBucks Council
Bucks Council

There are now 536 children in care in Bucks, a roughly seven per cent increase since January 2024.

Councillor Cranmer said: “They are all more complex cases, and we have had huge problems with placements.”

To respond to the challenges, the council has tried to increase the number of foster carers in its in-house service to 25 by the end of the 2024 to 2025 financial year.

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Director for major projects Joanna Baschnonga told the meeting the authority was ‘on track’ to meet this and said the first phase of its fostering programme has been ‘going well’.

She said this had included a ‘new offer’ for foster carers in May to give them new perks and benefits such as full council tax refunds, free parking at council car parks, free gym memberships and days out.

The council has also agreed plans and investment to deliver 10 new in-house children’s homes containing 32 beds, to be delivered in phases over the next three years.

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