Halesowen MP James Morris is asking where the money has gone after Sandwell Council admitted children's social services were struggling with the growing number of youngsters take into care.

The Conservative MP wants to know why Sandwell ’s Children’s Trust was not prepared for an increase of nearly a hundred vulnerable young people, which has led to warnings the service needs more government cash to cope.

The service cares for vulnerable children for a range of reasons from being orphaned, illness in the family or who have suffered mental, physical and sexual abuse.

MP James Morris, who represents Halesowen and Rowley Regis.
MP James Morris, who represents Halesowen and Rowley Regis.

Since April 2017, the council has seen the number of looked after youngsters in the borough increase from 601 to 895 by February this year, an increase of more than 30 per cent.

Last year the service was transferred to Sandwell Children’s Trust after it was branded inadequate by Ofsted.

At that time the council allocated it a £58 million budget - £13 million more than it spent in 2017.

But last October, the trust warned the increasing numbers of children in care meant it was heading for a £3.6 million deficit by the end of March.  

Two weeks ago, councillors were warned the service needed more government cash and the council was considering using its reserves to financially shore up the trust.

Darren Carter, Executive Director for Resources, told a meeting of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee the threat to Sandwell Children’s Trust was part of a national problem of increasing demand, adding:  “I have been involved in children’s care services since 2003 and demand levels we see in the system now far outstrips anything that I’ve ever seen in that 15 year period.”

Responding to the call for more cash, Mr Morris has now questioned the management of the trust.  

He said: “Just last year the trust was in a sound financial position, and the leadership confident they could operate within the budget they had.

"The numbers of looked after children has seen a sizeable increase, but the trust needs to ask why this has happened, and why they were not prepared?

“As a local MP I am always happy to make the case to Government for additional funding, especially when issues of safeguarding for our most vulnerable children is concerned, but the trust needs to demonstrate its competence in using this money effectively and have a plan.”

Frances Craven, Chief Executive of Sandwell Children’s Trust, said: “The rising number of children in care is a national issue and many areas of the country are facing an increase in the number of children entering care.

“In the trust we work hard with families who are struggling to keep children safely at home by providing them with early help.

“However, if children are unable to live with their families, it is our duty to do all we can to provide a home where they are safe and cared for.

“When children do need to come into care we work closely with their parents to return them home as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.”