ABOLITION OF THE costs for councils in child protection cases

Abused children will be at greater risk after the government abandoned plans to abolish expensive court fees, according to child protection experts.The previous government announced it would abolish fees altogether as of next April, following widespread opposition from children's charities. They claim the increase from £150 to more than £4,825, which came in during 2008, has had a negative impact on child protection.An independent report commissioned under the previous government also called for the fees to be scrapped after finding anecdotal evidence they deterred councils from applying to take abused children into care.The report estimated that court fees for one council went up from £12,000 in 2007 to £300,000 in 2008. SIGN THE PETITION TO abolish costs for councils.