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Number of children being taken into care in Dudley soaring

The number of children being taken into care in Dudley is soaring - leading to a predicted £1 million shortfall in the cash-strapped council's coffers.

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Dudley Council is expecting to overspend its children's services budget for the current financial year.

Bosses had predicted the number of 'looked after children' would fall after reaching record highs during the recession. But latest figures show that more children are being taken into care, despite action to reduce numbers by offering additional support to struggling families.

The number of children has gone up to 772 as of the end of last month. Back in 2010, the figure was 480.

See also: Children in care numbers rise.

Councillor Tim Crumpton, cabinet member for children's services, said: "Nationally there is an increasing demand on services and costs around looked after children and by the very nature of the work it is very difficult to make predictions in order to forecast budgets.

"There has been a small increase in the numbers of looked after children from 768 last year up to 772 at the end of September this year.

"In 2013/14 the council allocated an additional £3m to reflect the ongoing pressures on children's services and this year we have acknowledged a potential £1m overspend due to the in-year pressures experienced during 2014/15.

"Clearly, our absolute priority is on keeping our children safe and this is something we are passionately committed to. We are working hard to guard against more children going into care and to take pressure off our budgets. This includes our ongoing work to recruit more internal foster carers and expanding our troubled families programme. We are also re-shaping our early support services in order to identify children as early as possible so we can provide appropriate support."

Council bosses say they are now having to find a way to balance the books in the wake of further funding cuts. They have revealed budget proposals for £27m of savings required by 2017/18.

However, they have warned the council faces a deficit approaching £30m by 2017/18 if additional savings are not found.

See also: Wolverhampton care crisis 'will take years to solve'.

It is believed families put under pressure due to money worries in the recession has had an impact on the number of youngsters being taken into care. In recent years, more youngsters are also being referred to social services after high-profile neglect cases such as the Baby P tragedy in 2007.

Action taken last year included the council taking on additional staff to work with parents whose children have been taken into care.

They also provided an in-house 'supervised contact' service helping families to meet together and work through issues in 'family-friendly' surroundings.

Figures released in August showed there were 3,640 children in care across the Black Country and Staffordshire, a rise of 42 per cent in the past five years.

See also: Many young people leaving care placed in shabby accommodation - with some living in red-light district.

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