'Nothing like Tracey Beaker'

摘要

In 2013, children's services at Hampshire CC recognised that children's residential care needed to be delivered differently. Their firm belief was that children and young people in their care deserved better. A review and consultation with young people in residential care led to a new vision and, with political backing for the resulting residential strategy and agreement to a £7m investment, Hampshire children's services worked with the county council's award-winning in-house team of architects to design six new family homes to support children to live closer to their families and their local communities. Seven years on, the objectives of the strategy have been delivered. While spending on high needs reached more than £6bn last year and continues to soar, some parent groups are unhappy at the services their children are receiving, and schools and frontline workers continue to fight for resources within stretched budgets. The system is not working, and the easy thing to do is to ask for yet more funding. However, no-one seems to be asking what outcomes have been achieved for the £6bn, or what value the money has brought - until now. At IMPOWER, we believe that the national debate on high needs funding must be re-centred around value, and that resources and need should be aligned to driving the best possible outcomes for children.