Three pieces of work have estimated costs using the Cost Calculator and the methodology that underpins it, thus demonstrating the usefulness of the Cost Calculator as a research tool. The cost estimates relate to:
Looked after children ‘Policy’ groups
While our ‘costs and outcomes’ research programme has defined cost-related ‘Needs groups’ for looked after children, research by Sinclair and colleagues (2007) puts children into ‘Policy groups’ and suggests that different policies may be appropriate for different groups of children. Since local authorities could be uncertain about the relative status of the two groupings, DCSF commissioned a study to compare them. The study, completed in 2008, used the Cost Calculator to cost the care careers of both the Policy groups and Needs groups over a three year period and outlined ways in which these different groupings are competing or complementary. The report has been submitted and findings will be available shortly.
Reference: Sinclair, I., Baker, C., Lee, J. and Gibbs, I. (2007) The Pursuit of Permanence: A study of the English Child Care System. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Contact
Jean Soper, Visiting Research Fellow
Email: Jean.Soper@gmail.com
Costs of Children’s Continuing Care
The costing methodology was used to calculate the costs of children’s continuing care in two geographical areas piloting the framework. Unit costs were calculated both for the decision making processes for children to access packages of continuing care and for four case study examples of services provided to children across the two geographical areas. The unit costs and a short report were submitted to the funders (Department of Health) in 2009.
Contact
Lisa Holmes, Research Fellow
Email: L.J.Holmes@lboro.ac.uk
Social Work Practices
The Social Work Practices Financial Model required formulae that could be used to generate estimates of the average cost per looked after child in different bandings, depending on the child’s need. iMPOWER Consulting Limited, who were advising the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), commissioned a study to develop such formulae using the Cost Calculator methodology. Development of suitable formulae required analysis of the way in which children’s additional needs impact on costs. The paper, which was completed in 2008, showed that extra costs arise from different factors, each of which is separately related to the child’s support needs. For example, a child with emotional or behavioural difficulties who changes placements frequently may require additional social care interventions and on-going support, together with a more expensive placement that offers additional services appropriate to his needs.
Contact
Jean Soper, Visiting Research Fellow
Email: Jean.Soper@gmail.com