Costs And Outcomes in Children's Social Care: Messages from Research (Costs and Effectiveness of Services for Children in Need)

Care services for children depend on a limited supply of resources; it is vital that these are used to best effect. This book considers the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of these services and their contribution to children's well-being. The book presents the findings of a set of original research studies. It looks at services provided by the statutory, for-profit and voluntary sectors, examining the way they are delivered and how resources are distributed. It examines the cost of providing particular services, the extent to which they improve outcomes for children and the degree to which they can be considered cost-effective. It explores what changes can and should be made to improve efficiency, paying particular attention to the possible contributions of early intervention and better co-ordination. From the research findings, Jennifer Beecham and Ian Sinclair draw key messages for practice for the use of resources and for future research in this area. This is an invaluable book for those practitioners, policy makers and managers who are concerned with social care services for children. About the Author: Dr Jennifer Beecham is a Reader in Social Policy at the PSSRU, University of Kent, and Senior Lecturer at the Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, London About the Author: Ian Sinclair is a Research Professor in the Social Work Research and Development Unit at the University of York Cover......Page 1 Costs and Outcomes in Children’s Social Care: Messages from Research......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 FOREWORD BY PARMIJIT DHANDA MP ......Page 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......Page 13 Introduction......Page 15 The policy context......Page 16 The studies......Page 18 Key concepts......Page 21 The questions addressed......Page 22 Who should read this book?......Page 24 Conclusion......Page 25 Assessing costs......Page 33 Assessing outcomes and effects......Page 36 Bringing costs, outcomes and effects together......Page 40 Conclusion......Page 44 Previous overviews: the ideal of partnership and prevention......Page 47 The current studies: the reality of resource distribution......Page 51 The current studies: the reality of collaboration......Page 53 Conclusion......Page 57 Introduction......Page 63 Calculating support package costs......Page 64 How social services spend their money on children......Page 68 Hidden costs......Page 70 Why the costs of supporting children vary......Page 72 Conclusion......Page 78 Introduction......Page 83 Responsive services......Page 84 Specialist services......Page 92 Conclusion......Page 98 Assessment and care planning......Page 101 Community services......Page 106 Services for looked after children......Page 110 Conclusion......Page 116 Introduction......Page 121 Improving the evidence......Page 122 Balancing prevention and later intervention......Page 124 Improving preventative services......Page 127 Improving later interventions......Page 128 Facing the operating challenges......Page 131 Conclusion......Page 133 APPENDIX A: DFES IMPLEMENTATION AND ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS ......Page 135 APPENDIX B: RESEARCH AND AUTHORS ......Page 137 SELECTED READING ON PARENTING PROGRAMMES ......Page 139 SUBJECT INDEX ......Page 141 AUTHOR INDEX ......Page 145 Care services for children depend on a limited supply of resources; it is vital that these are used to best effect. This book considers the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of these services and their contribution to children's well-being. This is an invaluable book for those professionals concerned with social care services for children.