Outsourcing care has led to more children moving further away – study

Oxford University research reveals 17,000 out-of-area placements in England can be attributed to the corporate takeover of care

The corporate takeover of children’s care has led to more children moving between short-term, unstable placements far away from their families, according to research.

The Oxford University study – which drew on more than 600,000 care records – revealed 17,000 out-of-area placements in England can be attributed to the outsourcing of care to for-profit providers between 2011 and 2022.