KCC urges government action on growing pressures on Children’s Services

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Leader of the Council, Linden Kemkaran, is standing in front of two piles of printer paper - one pile is 4 reams of paper high, the other pile is 12 reams of paper high. Her concerned face is staring directly into the camera, while her hand rests on one of the piles. Each ream of paper is labelled ‘1000’, representing 1000 unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have entered our care since 2006. The contrasting piles illustrate that between 2006-2015 approximately 4000 children came into care and between 2016-2025 approximately 12000 children came into care - a threefold increase in the last decade. Most of these 12000 children are now young adults, but they remain Care Leavers who KCC is responsible for until they turn 25.

Linden Kemkaran visually illustrates the increased pressures on KCC caused by very high numbers of legacy UAS Children who arrived in to the care of KCC in the last two decades

Kent County Council (KCC) is once again calling for urgent government intervention to address the unsustainable pressures created by continued underfunding for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking (UAS) Care Leavers in Kent.

This move follows Ofsted's latest rating of the council's Children Services as 'Good' overall, with its Children in Care services being rated as Outstanding.

This rating reflects over a decade of lobbying and action by KCC to ensure that:

  • the National Transfer Scheme is now effective, moving UAS Children quickly and safely on to permanent placements in other local authority areas, and
  • adequate funding is now provided for those children aged under 18 years who remain under the care of KCC.

However KCC’s Care Leavers service has been rated ‘Requires Improvement’ – a rating council leaders do not recognise, and which fails to account for the unique circumstances in which KCC continues to have to operate.

KCC is still responsible for very high numbers of legacy UAS Children who arrived up to ten years ago and remained in the care of Kent during a time when the National Transfer Scheme was broken and ineffective and moved into the Care Leavers service when they turned 18 years old.

Delays in asylum processing and a lack of family connections or community networks mean UAS Care Leavers often stay in KCC’s care for the full term until they are 25. KCC receives zero funding for UAS Care Leavers over the age of 21. This sustained underfunding creates a unique pressure that no other UK council shares and comes at a huge cost to Kent taxpayers.

The geographical challenges don’t stop there.

Kent currently hosts around 1,300 looked-after children placed by other councils, over half from London. This brings further pressure on Kent schools and services including social care and health.

KCC is once again calling on Government for:

  • Faster processing of asylum claims.
  • A fair and realistic reform of the Care Leaver funding formula.
  • Better support for accommodation and registration requirements.
  • Genuine commitment from Government to develop a sustainable national model.
  • And the Government and Ofsted to take action against local authorities that place out of their area.
Linden Kemkaran is smiling for his headshot photo in front of the county hall steps

“We are carrying responsibilities on behalf of the entire country, and the current system is simply not fair nor sustainable”

Linden Kemkaran KCC Leader

Leader of Kent County Council, Linden Kemkaran, said:  “Kent has always stepped up to support vulnerable children and young people, but the pressures we are facing today go far beyond what any local authority can manage alone, and I am calling on Government to act NOW.

“We are carrying responsibilities on behalf of the entire country, and the current system is simply not fair nor sustainable. This perfect storm of continued huge volume of UAS children, the complexity of immigration processing and the NTS, and high housing costs affecting the county, leaves us with substantial unfunded deficits which then become a huge burden on the Kent taxpayer. It’s an intolerable situation that cannot be allowed to continue.

“We urgently need action - on funding, on regulation, and on placement practice - so that Kent residents, and the children who rely on us, receive the support they deserve.

“I have written to Ministers yet again to ask for an urgent meeting to discuss a solution that is both fair and long term.

“Children’s lives are too important to play politics with.”

Christine Palmer is smiling for his headshot photo in front of the county hall steps

“While we welcome recent improvements to the Government’s National Transfer Scheme, Kent is still dealing with the long‑term consequences of the period when the system failed”

Chris Palmer KCC Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services,

Chris Palmer, Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, said: “I’m extremely proud of the outstanding work Kent’s Children’s Services continue to deliver, despite the significant pressures and challenging circumstances they face.

“While we welcome recent improvements to the Government’s National Transfer Scheme, Kent is still dealing with the long‑term consequences of the period when the system failed. The large and rising number of out‑of‑county children placed here also makes it increasingly difficult for us to provide timely support for Kent children who need our help.

"We call on government to take notice of these challenges now and work with us on a national solution once and for all.

“I want to thank everyone in Children’s Services for their dedication, professionalism and ongoing commitment to children in Kent.”