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<p>The department publishes information on the average weekly spend per residential
care place for a child, by local authority, in the local authority interactive tool
(LAIT). This can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait</a>.</p><p>
</p><p>This shows a number of unit cost calculations relating to the children in need
population, including total outturn spend on residential care divided by total number
of residential care days provided per week by local authority.</p><p> </p><p>There
are a range of factors that will lead to variation in the amount of money spent per
child, including the needs and circumstances of the children supported and accommodated.
These factors will influence the services provided to children and the cost of their
accommodation.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ guidance
(2018) can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2</a>.</p><p>This
guidance is clear that local safeguarding partners should publish a threshold document,
which sets out the local criteria for action in a way that is transparent, accessible
and easily understood. This should include criteria, including the level of need,
for statutory social care services. There are a range of factors that will lead to
variation, including the needs and circumstances of children and families in a local
authority area. Whether thresholds are set appropriately and well understood, is inspected
by Ofsted and factored into their independent judgements on the quality of services
locally.</p><p> </p><p>Demand for children’s services is associated with a number
of factors including deprivation. The most deprived local authorities have more looked
after children (per 10,000 0-17 year olds), and these rates have grown faster, than
the least deprived local authorities.</p><p> </p><p>In preparation for the Spending
Review, to help ensure decisions are based on the best available evidence, the government
is working with the sector to develop a sharper and more granular picture of demand
for children’s services.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working with the Ministry of Housing,
Communities & Local Government as part of the government’s review of relative
needs and resources, where new, up-to-date formulas are being developed to ensure
funding distribution to councils is based on the best available evidence.</p><p> </p><p>We
welcome the contributions from the sector in this area including 'Newton Europe’s
Making Sense' (2018) report and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services
continuing research reports, 'Safeguarding Pressures' (2018).</p>
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