Sat.Jun 15, 2024

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Places in council-run children’s homes in England fall by third as private firms take over

The Guardian

Increased reliance on private provision is pushing children hundreds of miles away from friends and family The number of places in council-run children’s homes in England has fallen by a third since 2012 – at the same time as places in privately run profit-making children’s homes have soared, according to an Observer analysis of government data. The dramatic fall in council-run children’s homes, and local authorities’ increasing reliance on privately run provision, have helped drive a rise in ch

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We have abandoned our vulnerable children

The Guardian

For 14 years, the Conservative government has shown no interest in the lives of young people in difficulty James Munby’s heartfelt plea for suitable accommodation for children at serious risk to themselves or others (“ Judges are sick of locking up children who just need help ”), alongside the report that the NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are turning away children at risk of suicide (“ Suicide-risk children refused places on NHS England waiting lists as services overwhe