There will be 'no quick wins' in bringing down the excessive cost of Stoke-on-Trent children's services, councillors have been warned.

Spending on children's social care has been the single biggest financial problem facing Stoke-on-Trent City Council in recent years, and has resulted in mounting debt at the cash-strapped authority

Despite a recent decrease, there are still more than 1,000 children in care in Stoke-on-Trent, with many of these in high-cost residential placements in the private sector.

Stoke-on-Trent's number of children in care is double that of similar areas, resulting in an extra £16 million cost for the city council.

The council is proposing a draft budget for 2026/27 which includes a 4.99 per cent tax hike and a request for a further £10.5 million emergency bailout from government.

Members of the children and family services scrutiny committee quizzed council chiefs on how the budget would help turn around the situation in children's services.

Neil Macdonald, corporate director for children and family services, said the council can safely reduce the number of children in care through better practice, but this would take time.

He said: "We had a recent Ofsted inspection, and the overall judgment remained requires improvement. If you look at the authorities that have been successful at improving, what's driven it has been the practice and an improvement in the outcomes.

"At councils like Leeds, Walsall and Wolverhampton that have been on that improvement journey, there's been a singular focus on practice that will drive reduction in numbers. We are beginning to see some green shoots in relation to that."

Stoke-on-Trent currently has 1,086 children in care, which Mr Macdonald said was one of the lowest figures seen in recent years.

In addition to the overall numbers, Stoke-on-Trent children's services are also having to deal with greater complexity. Mr Macdonald said issues around emotional wellbeing had 'increased expontentially' since Covid.

Excessive profits within the private care sector is another issue facing local authorities – a problem that the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will try to address.

Mr Macdonald added: "I'm afraid there are no quick wins where the numbers will suddenly drop. Ultimately, while we need to address the budget pressures we must do it while maintaining our statutory responsibility to keep children safe."

The budget includes a 'non-consult' savings proposal which will aim to reduce spending on children's services by £2.9 million through 'care placements modelling'.

Mr Macdonald explained that this would involve moving children from higher cost into lower cost placements, and increasing the number placed with foster families.

Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children's services, told the committee that a recent foster carer recruitment campaign has resulted in 49 inquiries, while there had also been an increase in special guardianship orders, which secure long-term homes for children.

Sarah Hill, cabinet member for finance, said there had to be a focus on very young children.

She said: "We want parents to be good parents, and for children to stay with their families. That's what our focus has been as an administration. But that's a long-term solution, it's not going to happen overnight."

Committee member Dave Evans agreed that the problem would take some time to solve.

He said: "It is about turning around a tanker. Since 2019 there's been a huge amount of work with children's services, to everyone's credit, but it takes a long time. At this time of year it's important to have that robust discussion around budget to make sure practice is right and the budget is right."

Public consultation on the draft budget will run until February 9.

Residents can have their say by visiting the Stoke-on-Trent City Council website here.

They can also write to Budget 2026, c/o Executive Assistant to the Corporate Director of Resources (S151 Officer), Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke ST4 1HH.