Looked‐after children placed in externally purchased residential care
| Published date | 20 November 2009 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17466660200900016 |
| Date | 20 November 2009 |
| Pages | 34-48 |
| Author | Roger Bullock |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care,Sociology |
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Abstract
In the desire to improve outcomes for children in care, the issue of those individuals placed
by local authorities in residential establishments run by external agencies has become
especially salient. In addition to questions of quality and value for money, there are concerns
about children becoming detached from local services, especially as many of the placements
selected are outside the local authorities’ geographical boundaries. This study looks at
262 children so placed in eight English local authorities. It was found that although there
were common presenting problems, such as a need for specialist therapy or to reduce
difficult behaviour, the children’s circumstances varied and four distinct groups of children
with common needs were identified. The use of such placements also varied across the
authorities and did not mirror their numbers of children in care. The factors associated with
the use of externally purchased residential placements and differences between those placed
internally and externally are explored. A framework for developing new approaches for difficult
adolescents and suggestions about fruitful service development are offered.
Key words
residential care; external placement; need; outcomes; looked-after children
from a voluntary or independent provider. This
latter group are sometimes called ‘out of authority’
placements, but this is a misleading term because
such placements can often be within the local
authority’s boundary whereas some of a local
authority’s own provision may be beyond it. It is
more accurate to perceive them as ‘purchased’
from an external agency when it is deemed
that this is in the best interests of the child. As
these usually add an extra cost to budgets, often
require cross-agency funding and involve some
high profile children, they are a highly visible item
of expenditure and thus subject to discussions
Introduction
During the last two decades, children’s services in
the UK have been seeking to improve outcomes
for the children they help. This has resulted in
increasing concern about the effectiveness of
what they do and a willingness to shift resources
should this be necessary. One area where these
issues have become especially salient is the use
of placements for children in care (or looked-
after children as they are termed in the UK) that
local authorities purchase from external agencies.
Professionals seeking substitute placements for
such children have to decide whether to use the
local authority’s own facilities or purchase places
Looked-after children placed
in externally purchased
residential care
Roger Bullock
Emeritus Professor, University of Bristol, UK
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