In his address at the NCB’s annual general meeting, Ennals said the speed at which local authorities are being forced to make budget cuts means that any priority set by government threatens the existence of other services.
"Ministers have said that just because the government has largely spoken so far about schools, it does not mean that other services are not considered important. But today, with budgets being prepared, government saying nothing about a service can result in its closure. Silence can be neglect."
He said that while it is possible to deliver services in a more cost effective and efficient way, it takes time, something not being afforded to councils as they set budgets for the next financial year.
Of the education white paper he said: "Virtually nothing on early education, on extended services, on promoting wellbeing, on supporting families. The vision is fine as far as it goes – but our vision is wider. Ours is a vision of schools at the heart of their communities, meeting the diverse needs of children and families, acting as a channel to enable families to engage with their communities and access the services they need, picking up children who may fall behind.
"This vision, which is shared in schools across the country, is not articulated here. At any previous time, we could smile philosophically and await the next white paper – today, lack of priority could result in termination of delivery."
But he warned against simply railing against cuts or finding quick ways of getting money, saying instead: "We need to reassert what we believe in, revisit the evidence of what works to improve outcomes for children and families, identify anew what children and young people themselves believe is needed, and reshape what we offer."
Ennals also issued a rallying call to protect the future of play services as they face some of the harshest cuts. He said: "Some cherished services and organisations will not be able to survive as they currently are – I am thinking in particular of play services now. We need to identify what is at the core of what we want to preserve, and find a way of retaining this so that, when the financial spring comes, it is ready to grow."
