If you would like somebody to contact you to explain more about the safe steps programme of care and how we can work together. Please fill complete the enquiry form below:
Safe Steps: A Partnership that Delivers Value
1. Superior and measurable outcomes for the young person.
2. Significant financial savings for the Local Authority.
Safe Steps Programme Costs
The Next Steps - Calculating the Value of Safe Steps to You.
Superior Outcomes + Significant Savings = Next steps
Every Local Authority has young people in residential care some of whom would be ideal candidates for, and benefit, from the Safe Steps programme.
To calculate approximate cost benefit for your Local Authority please complete the following short exercise.
Step A: How many children are in potentially long-term residential care in your Local Authority?
Step B: Approximately how many of these do you think may meet the programme entry criteria. i.e. potential candidates with difficulties such as:
Complex behavioural needs
Attachment difficulties / disorders
Emotional and psychological difficulties
Mild Learning difficulties
Autistic spectrum disorders
Self injury
Conduct and behaviour difficulties
Risk taking history including absconding.
Step C:
Identify the cost of Local Authority residential care p.a. for each young person eg = £3,500 per week x 52 = £182,000
Number of potential candidates multiplied by Current annual residential care costs
Step D: Number of potential candidates from Step B multiplied by Cost of Safe Steps programme per candidate which is £134,290*
Step E: Answer at Step C minus Answer at Step D is the saving in the Safe Steps year versus cost of residential care.
By being able to sustain a stable family placement compared to residential care, Local Authority costs are significantly reduced which has a huge impact on budgets over time.
* Programme cost involving the minimum 13 week residential stay during Step One. For more detailed costs / comparisons please ask the Safe Steps team
Example based on One candidate
Cost to Local Authority of alternative care provision over
1 year
3 years
5 years
Residential care at £3,500 per week
£182,000
£546,000
£910,000
Safe Steps programme for 12 months and then solo fostering at £1,560 per week
£134,290
£296,530
£458,770
Resulting real saving for Local Authority over period
£47,710
£249,470
£451,230
Plus measurably better outcomes for the young person
Simply put, if 10 young people who would otherwise spend 3 years in residential care went through the Safe Steps programme the saving would be; £2.9 million.
If they were to spend 5 years in residential care and they went through the Safe Steps programme the saving would be; £4.5 million.
How many young people can you offer enhanced life chances to, and how much can you save by doing so?