Oxford studies impact of outsourcing in England's adult and children's social care sectors

The study was conducted by the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford and it was funded by Nuffield Foundation.

Study in UK: The University of Oxford has conducted a study on the outsourcing trends in England and their associations with key outcomes nationwide.

Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO of Become, the national charity for children in care and care leavers, said, "This valuable report makes clear the link between private placements for children in care, and increased instability from distant moves. It also highlights the lack of data regarding the quality of care children receive when they're sent to live away from their local area, miles away from everything they know – their school, their friends, and, sadly, often, brothers and sisters."

Highlights of study

The main findings show that there has been a dramatic increase in outsourcing to for-profit providers over the past two decades. In adult social care, 96% of services are outsourced and for children care, 80% of children's homes are run by the service provider companies which is an increase of 20% points as compared to 2010. The study found that despite this surge, there are quality concerns. There are also geographical inequities. The adults living in affluent areas are getting more outsourced services as compared to those from disadvantaged communities. For children's care, these services are mostly available in areas with lower property prices.

The study outcome suggested the requirement of data-driven approaches to social care reforms.

Co-author, Dr Benjamin Goodair (Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Oxford University) said, "Early data suggests that outsourcing has failed to deliver the expected benefits of private sector efficiencies. Instead, the use of profit-driven providers risks worsening care services. As both adult and children's care sectors face ongoing crises, there is an urgent need for increased scrutiny over the outsourcing of social care."

Head of Portfolio Development at the Nuffield Foundation said, “By bringing together publicly available administrative data from multiple sources, and focusing on both adult and children’s social care, this research provides a more complete picture of the care crisis than ever before. It raises important questions about the extent of outsourcing, the way it is managed, and the impact for-profit provision can have on vulnerable people."

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