Kids in group homes and private placements cost N.L. tens of millions. But are they any better off?

The Newfoundland and Labrador government paid private companies nearly $400,000 per child on average last year to house and care for kids with complex needs.

And data obtained by CBC News through access-to-information show those payments continue to dramatically rise, despite provincial politicians repeatedly stressing the importance of keeping spiralling costs under control.

Over the last six years, the province spent nearly $420 million on services provided by fewer than a dozen companies.

Almost $90 million of that total was in this past year alone — a jump of more than $30 million compared to 2018-19.

What's more, it's unclear what work the government has done to determine whether this model is the best way to care for those children.

Meanwhile, others — from lawyers to longtime advocates — have questions about how things are being done.

While they are talking, the minister in charge isn't. 

Children, Seniors and Social Development Minister Paul Pike did not agree to interview requests from CBC News.

In a statement, his department said Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rate of children and youth with complex needs in the country, and that's resulted in growth in the number of staffed residential placements.

Officials stressed that there are progress reports completed for each child in care, and they will be implementing "overall outcome indicators" this coming year.

Sheldon Pollett was at the helm of St. John's-based Choices for Youth for nearly a quarter century before his recent departure for another job.

Pollett says there is a rapidly escalating number of young people ending up in harm's way, and he's not sure the current system is the most effective way of addressing the problem.

"There are better outcomes that can be achieved," Pollett said.

He acknowledges that won't be easy work, and says the focus needs to be on early intervention and prevention — something that will require all levels of government to work together.