Children in care more likely to be sent out of Hertfordshire

Data shows children in ‘care’ are increasingly likely to be sent to live outside Hertfordshire.

According to the latest available figures – for the first three months of 2023/24 – just 62.3 per cent of Hertfordshire’s ‘looked after’ children were living in the county.

That’s almost six per cent lower than the same period in 20/21 – and five per cent lower than the same period in 22/23.

And it means that at the end of June almost two in every five Hertfordshire children who were in ‘care’ were in placements elsewhere.

The data is included in a performance report due to be presented to the council’s resources and performance cabinet panel on Thursday (October 5).

That report does highlight an increase in the number of ‘in-house’ residential beds and the council’s aim to increase the number of foster carers.

And it reports that 27 additional residential ‘beds’ have already been identified – with 18 complete and nine still in refurbishment.