Children in care in Dudley cost £500k per week
The figure is revealed in a report from the Council’s chief finance office
Dudley Council spends more than half a million pounds each week, on external residential housing for children in care.
The figure is revealed in a report from the authority’s chief finance officer, on spending during the first quarter of the current financial year.
Councils around the country are battling with rising demand on children’s services. In Dudley, 76 young people are in care, at an average cost of £6,900 per week.
The report, signed by Audra Statham, Dudley’s interim director of resources, said: “It is becoming increasingly apparent that Dudley is operating within a context of significant and rising demand, with over 71,000 children and young people being supported.
“This demand is being managed against persistent workforce pressures, high caseloads of over 21 children per social worker, workforce instability, agency dependency (24 percent agency rate) and increasing complexity of need.”
The increasing pressure on children’s services is laid bare, by an increase in the number of youngsters on a child protection plan, which rose from 2,147 in March 2026, to 2,335 a year later.
The council also has a legal duty to make provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
On March 31 2026, there were 4,481 SEND children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and more than 600 assessments for care plans awaiting completion.
The statutory time limit for assessments (unless there are exceptions) is 20 weeks but the latest figures published by the council show people are waiting much longer.
In July 2026, there were 592 EHC assessments in progress, average time scales were four weeks from request until a decision on whether to carry out an assessment and 36 weeks from request until a plan was issued.
Dudley Council is planning to invest £5m, to improve services over the next two years.
Ms Statham said: “This funding will be targeted on building capacity in the team to work with the right children to meet their needs focusing on a more effective help and protection approach.
“The aim is a reduction in the numbers of children becoming looked after.
“This coupled with a focus on sufficiency and fostering the numbers of children in external residential settings will reduce and address the budget pressures.”