Labour criticises 'care is easy option' comments

Some care packages for children were costing £1m per year, according to council figures

Labour politicians say they are "appalled" by comments by a Conservative council leader who said parents might be "taking the easy option" by putting their children into care.

Jason Smithers, who leads North Northamptonshire Council, was responding to a report on the cost of keeping children in the care system.

The report revealed the average cost of a residential placement was around £5,400 per week.

Labour councillor Jean Addison said Mr Smithers' words "show how little understanding he has of the stresses families are under".

Jason Smithers has been approached for a response.

The council leader, Jason Smithers, said some parents might be taking "the easy option" and putting children into care

Care services for young people in Northamptonshire are provided by Northamptonshire Children's Trust for both West and North Northamptonshire councils.

A report to a joint services committee meeting set out the average cost of a residential placement in 2023/24 as £281,000, or about £5,400 per week.

It said some care packages costed more than £1m.

Mr Smithers said at the meeting that he was "trying to get my head around the figures".

He added: "I just wonder, are we just taking a responsibility for some of these children when parents are taking an easy option and just handing children over to us?

"The cost of this is staggering."

Labour group leader Matt Keane said that every child in council care needed it

Matt Keane, leader of North Northamptonshire Labour Group, said: “Families come to us in need, often due to extremely difficult financial situations they find themselves in as well as the lack of support for both children and families in general.

"Councillor Smithers’ comments disregard all of this entirely. It is not an easy option for families to come to us and every child that is in our care needs it.”

Labour councillor Jean Addison said Mr Smithers' words would "demoralise" parents

Ms Addison added: "Parents across North Northamptonshire will feel demoralised further by these comments.

"We as Labour councillors will continue to highlight the short-sighted Tory approach to children’s services and councillor Smithers’ comments prove this attitude alarmingly.”