The abilities of councils to meet the needs of child refugees is being undermined by ‘wholly inadequate' funding and the national shortage of foster carers at a time when pressures are increasingly acute, children's services directors have warned. 

A new report by the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) found three-quarters of authorities were struggling to place lone asylum seeking children, while grant funding from the Home Office covered on average just 50% of the costs of care.