Children in care numbers rise

More than 780 children in the city are in care, up from 661 last year.

Bosses at Wolverhampton City Council have highlighted the issue as being a significant risk, with the authority falling below a key national target.

The number - totalling 783 children - works out as 139 per 10,000 in the population, with the national target being around 110 per 10,000 children.

Figures have been rising steadily every few months for the past two years, up from 102 per 10,000 in April 2012.

And in the past five years they've risen 50 per cent.

Bosses at the council have held discussions with counterparts in Essex, where the number of children in care - classed nationally as 'Looked After Children' - has decreased.

Chiefs said the increase was partly because of greater awareness of safeguarding issues highlighted through tragedies like the death of Baby P, and also because of the economic downturn.

Emma Bennett, assistant director for children, young people and families, said that despite funding reductions they were committed to helping more families look after children in their own homes.

She added: "The number of families needing our help went up significantly about four years ago and while this rise has levelled off, we are finding that the needs of families are more complex - and so our services are required for longer to help them cope with the challenges they face.

"Many parts of the country have experienced similar rises, although our rise has been steeper and longer lasting than most and inevitably we have seen a rise in the number of families needing our support.

"Meanwhile the council is working hard to offer earlier help to families who are getting into difficulties, so that the problems get resolved rather than escalating.

"To do this, we have embarked on a radical overhaul of the way we deliver help to families – right from looking at what our schools can do to support children and families and how Children's Centres and other family support services can work better, through to how we can get social workers involved early enough to help families over some of the hurdles they face."

Around 230 children in care are considered to be 'at risk' and subject to a child protection plan.

Spring Vale councillor Malcolm Gwinnett said the blame for the increase could not be laid at the council's door.

He added: "Resource wise the issue is a nightmare.

"It's extremely difficult for everyone concerned and I don't know why Wolverhampton is above the average.

"Part of it is down to the Government cuts in the past couple of years and I think that's starting to hit home, people are suffering in general."