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CHILDREN's Social CARE
18 Jul
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Dear Paul,

Last week, the National Children’s Bureau published an important new report on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children.

Following a ten-month inquiry, Storing Up Trouble presents evidence that our system of social care for children has become inconsistent, with considerable local variations in the thresholds at which support is given.
 
We believe it is unjust that children facing similar problems get different levels of help depending on where they live.

Above all, we believe variations in thresholds are undermining the welfare and safety of children, young people and families.

We are calling for urgent action to:
  • Address the gap in funding for children’s social care services and put in place a sustainable long-term funding settlement for early help and preventative services
  • Introduce a legal duty on local authorities to provide early help to children, young people and their families, providing a statutory ‘safety net’ for these services
Please show your support:
Thanks for your support.

The NCB Team
 
A POSTCODE LOTTERY OF CHILDREN's SOCIAL CARE
 

Storing Up Trouble
A young person sits with their head in their hands
Evidence given to the 10-month inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children, suggests children’s safety is being put at risk by a system of social care that varies wildly from place to place, and where children must often reach grave danger before getting any help at all.

<<< READ 'STORING UP TROUBLE' >>>
 
More than 4 in 5 Directors of Children’s Services surveyed by the inquiry described a postcode lottery of support, where children facing similar problems get different levels of help early on depending on where they live, with almost two thirds saying this even applied to cases where the child was at significant risk.
 
Social workers highlighted that when services did step in, it was increasingly only when children and families had reached crisis point. 

Other findings include:
  • Funding constraints are affecting day-to-day decisions about whether to intervene to support a child.
  • Children in care want more support to understand the decisions made on their behalf and to access their personal histories contained in case files.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children is calling on the Government to address the gap in funding for children’s social care and put in place a sustainable long-term funding settlement for early help and preventative services.
Read more
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