CYP Now - Police show why early help is everyone's duty

In a passionate address at the recent National Children and Adult Services Conference, Stuart Gallimore, vice-president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS), explained that cuts to his budget in East Sussex means he will have to make decisions about provision he knows don't "make sense" in the long run. He, like other DCSs, faces the dilemma to reduce funding to early help provision to maintain services for children in care and at risk - knowing that doing so could raise the vulnerability of those whose problems are less severe.

He, like other DCSs, faces the dilemma to reduce funding to early help provision to maintain services for children in care and at risk - knowing that doing so could raise the vulnerability of those whose problems are less severe.

The ADCS says a solution would be for the government to review section 17 of the Children Act 1989 so that it better reflects the implicit expectation for all agencies to contribute to early help for children in need. By strengthening guidance, the association thinks it would increase the involvement of other agencies such as health and education in meeting children's welfare needs. Too often, in DCSs' view, academies and health commissioners hide behind organisational bureaucracies to avoid their duty to co-operate on early intervention.

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