Most children in care in Medway not local - report

There are 486 children in care arrangements in Medway

Just over a third of children in care in Medway are from the area while the rest are from other authorities, according to a council report.

Of all the children in care arrangements, only 182 are from the area while 398 are from other councils and authorities which have relocated, said Medway council's health and wellbeing board.

The council said children from outside the area were at greater risk of anti-social behaviour, drug and alcohol use, poor standards of care and unsuitable accommodation.

Children from outside the area are being placed with private, independent organisations "in our most deprived areas", the council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The report shows that 171 of the children from outside Medway were from London boroughs, while a further 119 children were from areas under the jurisdiction of Kent County Council.

Another 28 children were the responsibility of Surrey County Council, Thurrock Council, and East Sussex County Council.

The majority of the children are above the age of 10, with 180 between the ages of 16 and 18 and a further 119 aged between 10 and 15.

The council also believes there are another 5% of children in care in Medway which the authority has not been notified of, based upon local intelligence.

Living in deprivation

James Harman, the council’s head of children’s services commissioning, said the majority of the children were living “in some of our most deprived areas".

“They are with providers that we would not deem as appropriate for our young people, or indeed in streets which we know from some of the evidence from our police colleagues have got other challenges, that might be linked to criminality," he said.

Deputy council leader Teresa Murray said: “Not only are they unsuitable but they are in the cheapest properties in the most deprived areas – that is a derogation of responsibility towards those young people," she said.

“The other authorities have got their difficulties but they should be doing better than that for their young people.”

The council said it would engage further with the authorities involved.

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