CYP Now - Future of early help 'under serious threat'

Services supporting families at an early stage in order to prevent child safeguarding issues are "under serious threat", due to pressure on budgets as a result of rapidly rising numbers of children at risk of serious harm, and short-term funding arrangements, children's services leaders have warned.

The Association of Directors of Children's Services annual Safeguarding Pressures research found that an estimated 2.4 million initial contacts were made to children's social care in 2017/18, a 78 per cent increase over the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, the number of children on child protection plans increased by 87 per cent over the same period, and an estimated 75,480 children are currently in care - nearly 3,000 more than in 2017, when the figure was 72,670, and an increase of 24 per cent in 10 years.

The report warns that, despite a strong desire to provide services that support families at an early stage, the sustainability of early help services is a concern for many local authorities.

Unlike adult social care where the Care Act 2014 puts preventative work with adults on a statutory footing, there is no legislative requirement for local authorities to provide preventative services.

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