News

English local authorities spending on children in need has increased by almost a quarter over 16 months, according to a Department for Education and Skills survey.

The research found that councils' expenditure on children in need has gone up by 23 per cent from £49.9 million in September 2001 to £61.1 million in February 2003.

The number of children receiving services in the survey week in 2003 was 384,200 - 2 per cent higher than in September 2001. While the number of looked after children, which are included in the figure, fell by 0.5 per cent the number of other children in need receiving a service increased by 3 per cent.

Social services expenditure on looked after children increased by 20 per cent from £500 per week in 2001 to £600 per week, and for other children in need it increased by 23 per cent from £120 per week to £145 per week.

Children in Need in England