The number of children in care in the Black Country and Staffordshire is on the up following the Baby P scandal.

Councils are being forced to take more youngsters away from their parents due to changes brought in following the case. Wolverhampton City Council has had to put another £4 million into next year’s budget to cope.

The number of children being looked after by the authority has risen from 355 in 2009 to more than 530 by July this year.

In Sandwell the number of children in council care rose from 477 in 2009 to 579 in 2011, while in Walsall the number increased from 463 in 2009 to 518 by March 2011. It is now down to 491.

Councillor Rachel Andrew, who is in charge of the borough’s children’s services, said the decrease was down to more preventative work with families identified as being at risk.

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