One in 10 biggest English councils risk bankruptcy over child protection bill

[SirGalahad]

I don’t know too much about the financing or running of PRU’s but generally, the kids I dealt with were all one-to-one students (each student had their own 'handler') and some of them were two-to-one so you can imagine how much trouble the could be when they kick off. They have a massive churn of staff because of the behaviour of the students in general. They get hit, kicked, spat on and bitten. The PRU's that I have visited are like low level correction centres where doors need a tag to get through and when one of the students 'flip', a button is pressed and all rooms go into a lockdown!

Ellal apparently, asking me to justify what I charge.

Bloody hell.

Any thoughts on better solusitons for these kids? Thankfully I don't deal with kids or people like that - any thoughts on what you would do to improve the situation or is it just broken and we just have to make do? I know that is defeatist but sometimes somethings just can be fixed.

 

[crystal ball]

I work at local school, a couple of the site team used to work at private special school way out in the sticks, there was one pupil who was nicknamed million pound kid

 

[Mottie]

Bloody hell.

Any thoughts on better solusitons for these kids? Thankfully I don't deal with kids or people like that - any thoughts on what you would do to improve the situation or is it just broken and we just have to make do? I know that is defeatist but sometimes somethings just can be fixed.

More power to those that look after them and to be allowed to discipline them? Unfortunately, the kids have been given too much power over the adults who are supposed to be educating them. If they ever question my authority I just tell them “You’re the child, I’m the adult, you do as I say and not the other way round". If they don’t accept that, they are shown the door and I make that clear with any PRU before I start dealing with them. Schools and PRU's can’t do that.

 

[SirGalahad]

More power to those that look after them and to be allowed to discipline them? Unfortunately, the kids have been given too much power over the adults who are supposed to be educating them. If they ever question my authority I just tell them “You’re the child, I’m the adult, you do as I say and not the other way round". Schools and PRU's can’t do that.

Were there cases of child abuse by the carers so the dial swung all the way in the favour of the kids so now you treat them with "kid gloves"?

There obviously needs to be a rebalancing?

When you say that to them don't they just tell you to F off?

 

[Mottie]

When you say that to them don't they just tell you to F off?

Some have tried that, yes, and they are told to F off themselves by me and shown the door, some within minutes of first starting. Most of them are shocked at being told that. Some have later apologised and asked to be allowed a second chance to return and have turned out pretty good students. The short sharp shock doesn’t work for all of them though.

 

[Brigadier]

Some have tried that, yes, and they are told to F off themselves by me and shown the door, some within minutes of first starting. Most of them are shocked at being told that. Some have later apologised and asked to be allowed a second chance to return and have turned out pretty good students. The short sharp shock doesn’t work for all of them though.

My own experience of heducashun was that, of the hundred kids in my year, 98 of them were "reachable".
By which I mean they either would never do wrong, or do a bit but were aware enough of the consequences that they tried to avoid detection
But never went too far.
The other 2 though: wired differently.
I'm pretty sure you could have beaten them half to death, and they'd not give a toss, nor "learn their lesson".

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Bloody hell.

Any thoughts on better solusitons for these kids?

Borstal.

"Who's the daddy?"

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Going back to the OP, there far too much put on the rates for hard pressed council tax payers to fund. Just empty the bins, look after the parks, keep libraries and public toilets open, sweep the street, etc, etc - and stop loading the costs with all manner of BS that shouldn't be included.

 

[gant]

Birch.

 

[Murdochcat]

Going back to the OP, there far too much put on the rates for hard pressed council tax payers to fund. Just empty the bins, look after the parks, keep libraries and public toilets open, sweep the street, etc, etc - and stop loading the costs with all manner of BS that shouldn't be included.

I’d happily pay a bit more Council tax, and so should all the people complaining about services

 

[motorbiking]

This is a bit two-dimensional. It's not simply spend more = better outcomes. The stats for looked after children are terrible. I'm sure those involved do their best, but there is no substitute for a decent family life when it comes to thriving.

When I was considering kids, my primary thought was about if I could afford them, if I'd have the time/inclination to be a good parent and if they could find a happy life in the world I was bringing them in to.

I suspect this is not a criteria applied by many.

Those poor sods in care, start at the bottom of a mountain. If Mottie et al can train them to be a decent mechanic instead of drug dealer etc. then it's worth a bit of extra care.

Unfortunately, I know a lot of companies that abuse the government grant system by getting graduates to apply for apprenticeships so that they can get a tax break.