"Too much of the first year of the new safeguarding children boards hasbeen spent trying, often unsuccessfully, to persuade partnerorganisations to make financial contributions towards their runningcosts," says Tony Eccleston, chair of Bracknell Forest's board.
The first review of the boards, carried out by the Department forChildren, Schools and Families (DCSF), has shown there is a large dividein the money available to boards across England (Children Now, 4-10July). Many professionals involved with the boards, which have been inplace since April 2006, feel the Government has not done enough toensure their financial survival.
A lack of resources
Eccleston, who is also director of children's services at BracknellForest Borough Council, adds: "In terms of resources the localsafeguarding children's boards are the neglected child of theGovernment. The Government has rightly stressed how importantsafeguarding is, then it has neglected to help us get the resourcesneeded."
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