Residential child care must be needs led
Jonathan Stanley, manager, National Centre for Excellence in
Residential Child Care and Children's Residential Network
Thursday 16 July 2009
Recent figures regarding the number of
children placed in residential care give an insight into the
realities influencing the commissioning process in England.
Residential child care is being seen in an increasingly positive
light. Recent Ofsted inspections show that compliance with the
National Minimum Standards for Children's Homes has increased from
54 to 92 per cent. Furthermore, young people themselves regularly
report residential child care as their placement of choice. In
light of this, and the duty in the Children and Young Persons Act
on each local authority to ensure a sufficient supply of
placements, along with the progress being made with regional
commissioning, we have the opportunity to match needs to placement
as we have never done before.
With a needs-led placement strategy, one would expect to see
fluctuation. However, for a number of authorities the figures show
consistent placement levels year on year. This might be due to
statistical effects but there may be other factors involved, such
as cost efficiency driving placements rather than child welfare and
development.
The National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care
appreciates the necessity for close attention to cost. We also
encourage commissioners to see their work as a parenting and child
care activity, and encourage "relational commissioning", a
mutuality between providers and commissioners developing and
sustaining placements that meet the emotional wellbeing and
attachment needs of young people. Research tells us the best value
for money is achieved when talented, skilled and experienced staff
are retained and create a stable environment for the children in
their care. Achieving this should be the primary concern of
everyone involved.