Analysis

County councils seek to innovate to tackle social care challenges

Rising demand for care services and falling funding for early help has put huge pressure on county council budgets, forcing many areas to think creatively about how they can deliver more support for less money.
Devon County Council ran an Apprentice-style foster carer recruitment campaign. Picture: fizkes/Adobe Stock
Devon County Council ran an Apprentice-style foster carer recruitment campaign. Picture: fizkes/Adobe Stock

Increased demand on children’s services in England combined with a shortage of resources has led to significant challenges for local authorities in delivering fast and high-quality care to children, young people and families.

Analysis from the County Councils Network (CCN) shows that this demand has contributed to overspends across councils’ children’s services budgets, with four in five county councils being over budget last year – resulting in a total overspend of £317m across these local authority areas.

Despite these challenges – which according to councillor Keith Glazier, children’s services spokesperson for the CCN, illustrates the impact of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis on vulnerable families – the CCN’s County Spotlight: Children’s Servicesreport shows that councils are developing innovative ways to improve support for young people and families (see case studies).

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