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Professor Lisa Holmes was commissioned by the NSPCC to run her figures again 10 years after her initial study.

A study undertaken by Lisa Holmes, Professor of Applied Social Science in the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sussex, has illustrated the stark contrast in cost to the public purse of supporting children back into their family units (reunification) versus the costs associated with children returning to care due to failed reunification – and it is over four times less.

A substantial amount of money is spent each year as a consequence of failed reunifications, resulting in children re-entering care. These costs are particularly significant when compared with the lower cost of improving support to meet the needs of children and families when children return home from care.

Ten years after publishing her first report commissioned by the NSPCC, Professor Holmes was commissioned by the NSPCC to update the analysis. Her new report illustrates that the total estimated current cost for all failed reunifications is almost £317k. In contrast, the annual cost of providing support and services to meet the needs of all children and families returning home from care is less than £70k.

Professor Lisa Holmes said:

 “This research is critical in demonstrating that providing sufficient and tailored support to children and their families after a period of care is crucial in preventing reunification breakdowns. However, as well as supporting families through this process, this report also underscores the financial benefits of investing in such support, which can significantly reduce the high costs associated with children returning to care."

Eavan McKay, Senior Policy Officer at the NSPCC, said:

“All children deserve to live with a loving and stable family that cares about them and their wellbeing.

“It can feel incredibly heartbreaking for a child when a return home fails and they re-enter the care system. Especially when the reasons for the breakdown could have been prevented with the right support, at the right time.

“In order to keep more families together, tackle the unsustainable amount of children entering the care system and help alleviate the spiralling cost of children’s social care, the Government must prioritise investment in reunification support as a priority.”

Returning home to a parent or relative is the most common outcome for children in care. In 2022-23, 27% all children in care returned home, equating to 8,554 children. A re-entry rate of 35% was used for analysis in the report.

Packages of services and support detailed in the report are based on a series of assumptions on the premise that improved provision of both social care support and appropriate services for children and their families could result in a reduction of the reunification breakdown rate.

Details covered by The Independent's iNews.

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