Introduction -- Identifying local authorities and children for exploring the costs of care -- The development of unit costs for social care processes -- Placement patterns, processes and costs -- Children and costs -- Need, cost, service and outcome -- The relationship between cost and value : children's views of the value of services -- The cost calculator for children's services -- Conclusion : cost calculations and their implications for policy and practice
Summary
It costs more to place a child in the care of a local authority than it does to send a child to a top boarding school, and there are substantial variations in costs both between and within authorities. This book gets to the bottom of the costs of care and provides an insight into how these variations in cost relate to differences in children's needs, and most importantly, whether higher costs reflect better services and better outcomes for children. Costs and Consequences for Children Placed Away from Home draws from new original research, and considers the implications for best practice and f
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 276-282) and indexes
