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The Independent UK

Aine Fox

Watchdog warns of market failure amid soaring children’s care home costs

NAO Bridget Phillipson The National Audit Office DfE

The cost of children’s care homes has soared (Alamy/PA) -

Children’s residential care home costs in England have soared to almost double what they were four years ago amid what the public spending watchdog has branded a “market failure”.

The National Audit Office (NAO), said local authority spending on children in residential care rose from £1.6 billion in the year ending March 2020 to £3.1 billion in the year ending March 2024.

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