CYP Now - DfE warns of uphill struggle to secure children's services funding

A senior Department for Education official has warned children's services leaders they face an uphill struggle to secure additional funding to tackle demand pressures at the next spending review.

Graham Archer, director of children's social care, improvement and learning at the DfE, told delegates at the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) annual conference in Manchester that the "difficult fiscal position" meant it was unlikely "a lot more money" would be allocated to council children's services at the 2019 spending review.

Archer was responding to warnings from ADCS president Stuart Gallimore that there is "no fat left to trim" from children's services budgets as a result of local government funding cuts and significant rises in the number of looked-after children, child protection plans and Section 47 inquiries in recent years.

Children's minister Nadhim Zahawi, speaking after Gallimore acknowledged that funding is a "real challenge", adding that he is "listening" and wants to to work with the sector "to understand the evidence for additional investment".

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