Children and young people
Children placed in ‘illegal’ care homes
Nearly 800 vulnerable children in England have been placed in illegal care homes, raising serious concerns about their safety and wellbeing, according to a report by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee.
Closing the ‘holiday experience’ gap
Giving children from low-income households access to similar opportunities to their peers during school holidays improves children’s health and wellbeing, promotes healthy eating, boosts school attendance, and improves inclusivity for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Children in care ‘up 18 per cent’
The number of looked-after children in England is almost 18 per cent higher than 10 years ago, with 81,770 in the care of councils as of 31 March 2025.
Residential care costs ‘doubled’
Residential care costs for looked-after children have almost doubled in five years, according to a new report from the National Audit Office.
Holiday programme extended
The Government has announced a £600 million extension of the Holiday Activities and Food programme in England for another three years.
Family support hubs for all council areas
One-stop shops for services for babies and young children and their families are to be established in every local authority in England.
‘Complex needs driving high care costs’
A failure to support children and young people with complex needs is driving very high care costs and not improving children’s lives, according to a new report commissioned by the LGA.
