CYP Now - Councils still face ‘difficult decisions’ despite children’s services funding boost

Local authority and children's services leaders have welcomed a £600m government funding boost to relieve pressure for support services but say it "does not negate the need for a sufficient long term funding settlement for children".

'Councils, of course, still face difficult decisions when setting their budgets for 2024/25,' leaders say. Picture: New Africa/Adobe Stock

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove announced this week that £600m worth of extra funding will be made available to local authorities. This includes £500m through the government’s Social Care Grant to help councils meet demand for adult and children’s social care.

Gove hopes the extra money will “reduce pressures on other areas of children’s services such as home to school transport, where we recognise there has been a significant increase in pressures for special educational needs and disability services”.

He said this week's social care funding announcement is in addition to £1bn extra already announced to “enable councils to continue to provide crucial social care services for their local communities, particularly for children”.

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