Councils ‘need support’ with residential care costs doubling in five years

The government should have better oversight of residential care providers to be able to support councils effectively, as costs spiralled to £3.1bn in 2023/24, the National Audit Office (NAO) has said.

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That £3.1bn figure represents an almost doubling in residential care costs for looked-after children in five years, the NAO added, as it published a

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