Lack of options in children’s services

A Best Value review
of Newport Council’s children’s services published last week reveals a lack of
options for children with behavioural difficulties, a below average record of
placement stability, and poor educational achievement levels among its looked-after
children.

The review, conducted
by the Audit Commission, assesses Newport, in south Wales, as providing a
“fair” one-star service, which will probably improve.

Although
it finds the council’s percentage of gross expenditure committed to social services
to be the highest in Wales, it concludes that children’s services lack options
to enable direct work with older children and their families to keep children
out of long-term care.