Ministers to crackdown on profiteering in care sector and make renewed fostering push

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Alexandra Topping Political correspondentFebruary 4, 2026 at 01:00 AM
Ministers to crackdown on profiteering in care sector and make renewed fostering push

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

England's children's minister, Josh MacAlister, is initiating a major overhaul of the child social care system, targeting private providers suspected of profiteering. The government is reviewing the financial security of these providers and will implement profit caps if necessary, aiming to prevent situations like the Southern Cross scandal. MacAlister also announced a push to recruit 10,000 new foster carers, drawing inspiration from the Homes for Ukraine scheme, to reduce reliance on private residential homes. This initiative seeks to rebalance child social care and provide more stable, loving environments for children, as residential care costs have significantly increased, reaching £3.1 billion in 2023-24. The goal is to prioritize children's well-being over private profit within the care system.

Keywords

child social care 100% profiteering 90% fostering 80% private providers 70% foster carers 60% residential care 50% profit cap 50% josh macalister 40% care system overhaul 40%

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Positive
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Source
The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
England

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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