Looked after children numbers in West Berkshire is "too high"

Rachael Wardell was speaking at a board meeting held recently in Newbury when the subject of “looked after children” was discussed.
She said: “Our looked after children numbers are too high and when we make a decision to put a child into care we make the right decision, but we are looking at getting this number down over the next few months.”
The number of looked after children in West Berkshire has increased by 22 per cent (rising from 125 to 161 children) between 2011/12 and 2013/14 according to the most recent Local Safeguarding Children Report.
Children subject to a Child Protection Plan also rose by 48 per cent in this period (from 78 to 116 children).
The number of looked after children per 10,000 was 48 in the second quarter of this year, which is at the top end of the “normal range” which is between 38 and 48 for the area.
The average in England is 60 per 10,000 of the population.
In March 2013, West Berkshire Council was responsible for 144 looked after children, representing a rate of 40 per 100,000 per population under 18.
This figure had increased by October 2013 to 158 children. Of these 10 were from unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
Most children are placed in family settings with foster carers or adoptive carers (82 per cent as at March 2013) with the remainder placed in settings such as children’s homes and specialist homes according to their individual needs.
Speaking at the board meeting last week Rachael Wardell said: “We are at the high end of this if we look closer. What that tells me and should tell all of you is that we are at the high end nationally, and West Berkshire shouldn’t be.”
“There’s a little bit of attention we need to pay as to why these figures are up.”
The issue has now been identified by the board as a “hot focus” which identifies it as a key objective for next year for the district in tackling issues of health and wellbeing.
The number of young people subject to Child Protection Plans in West Berkshire, which involves supporting children at home and devising a “family plan” for children at risk, was 112 at March 2014, a rate of 23 per 10,000.
This represents an increase of 33 per cent on the previous year, but remains below the national average of 38 per 10,000.
The single largest reason for such orders is neglect which in West Berkshire is above the national average.
The most recent report into safeguarding local children also said that to combat this issue, two additional social worker posts had already been created and there are plans for further posts to be recruited.