Overspending on helping at-risk youngsters nears £1bn

National Audit Office reveals councils in England are failing to keep lid on child protection budgetsMinisters face calls for fresh investment in hard-pressed children’s social services after the public spending watchdog revealed that soaring numbers of at-risk youngsters taken into care had caused councils to overspend by nearly £1bn.The National Audit Office (NAO) said that nine out of 10 local authorities in England were unable to keep a lid on child protection budgets in 2017-18