Decision
Analysis
outcome: Recommendations were approved.
summary: The decision involves approving recommendations related to joining a Regional Care Cooperative to meet statutory duties and deliver savings to the Children's Services budget.
topline: The Director of Children's Services has decided to approve recommendations to join a Regional Care Cooperative in order to meet statutory duties and deliver savings to the Children's Services budget.
reason_contentious: This issue may be contentious as it involves mandatory regional commissioning and potential changes to the way placement markets operate, which could impact stakeholders.
affected_stakeholders: ["Children and young people in care", "Local authorities", "Department for Education"]
contentiousness_score: 7
political_party_relevance: There are implications of central government reforms driving the decision.
URL: https://milton-keynes.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1613
Decision Maker: Director of Children's Services
Outcome: Recommendations Approved
Is Key Decision?: No
Is Callable In?: No
Purpose: Reasons for the decision: MKCC is a partner in the South East Regional Care Cooperative Pathfinder funded by DfE. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25 aims to legislate RCCs, shifting from voluntary collaboration to mandatory regional commissioning, therefore this decision will enable the delivery of a forthcoming statutory duty. The functions of the RCC will also support the Council to meet its existing ‘Sufficiency Duty’ under the Children Act 1989. The decision relates to the payment of a grant to an external body and is required by the Council’s Financial Regulations. This is an invest to save proposal developed to deliver savings to the Children’s Services External Placements budget.
Content: Reasons for the decision: MKCC is a partner in the South East Regional Care Cooperative Pathfinder funded by DfE. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25 aims to legislate RCCs, shifting from voluntary collaboration to mandatory regional commissioning, therefore this decision will enable the delivery of a forthcoming statutory duty. The functions of the RCC will also support the Council to meet its existing ‘Sufficiency Duty’ under the Children Act 1989. The decision relates to the payment of a grant to an external body and is required by the Council’s Financial Regulations. This is an invest to save proposal developed to deliver savings to the Children’s Services External Placements budget. Alternatives Considered To do nothing This is not a viable option. Membership of a Regional Care Cooperative is driven by central government reforms and is soon likely to be legislated. Without the RCC, Local Authorities will continue to face rising costs and insufficient placements, leading to poorer outcomes for children and young people. Between 2015/16 and 2021/22, the amount spent on children’s residential care increased by 66.2% in real terms nationally. There is currently no centrally coordinated data collection which describes the situation. Without this, efforts to address the lack of sufficiency will not be fully informed and cannot succeed. Working on our own individual authorities have very limited ability to influence and change the way the placement market operates, working with 15 other authorities will give the scale and volume to make significant changes. The RCC offers a coordinated, data-driven approach to address these challenges and ensure sustainable, high-quality care for the region's children. The programme has the support of the Department for Education and, as a pathfinder, the South East has benefited from an enhanced delivery partner support to accelerate our progress.
Date of Decision: July 2, 2025