A shortage of foster carers means Bedford Borough Council is spending more than £21 million a year on 44 children placed in residential or unregistered care, according to figures presented to councillors.
A fostering budget report to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Monday, 1 September) showed 26 children in residential placements and 18 in unregistered provision, costing a total of £21,029,528 a year.
The reduction in foster carers has led to more children being moved into these settings. The report warned that such placements “often do not produce good outcomes” for children and are “more costly” than other forms of care.
Service Director for Children’s Social Care Jonathan Churchill told the committee the council is working to reduce reliance on residential homes, particularly unregistered provision, for “all sorts” of reasons.
“One, they are more costly. Two, they’re not registered with Ofsted, so they demand a lot more of the social workers’ time,” he said.
“The social workers visit every week, that’s a lot when you’ve got a child that is placed quite some distance away from Bedford, this eats into the time they’ve got for their other children, they are allocated.”
Under strain
The workforce is already under strain. A separate Children’s Services Workforce report revealed one social worker was carrying a caseload of 43 children, nearly three times the national average of 15.
“The number of children in the Conect team remains high… with the highest at time of writing being 43,” the report noted.
The Conect team is a frontline team that works to ensure that vulnerable children receive the necessary support and protection.
Nationally, Ofsted has reported that the number of foster carers is at a 10-year low, with more leaving than joining. In Bedford, recruitment has been slow: just four new foster carers signed up during 2024/25, following six the year before.
The committee heard that the council is exploring new incentives, such as a reduction in council tax for foster carers.
The council is also working with a third party to move some children out of residential care and into foster homes.
People interested in becoming a foster carer can find more information on the Bedford Borough Council fostering webpage or by contacting the council’s fostering team directly.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
