CYP Now - Labour warning over rise in children’s services referrals as schools return

The government has been urged to outline plans to tackle a predicted rise in referrals to children’s services departments as schools return this week.

Shadow early years minister was among those to write to ministers. Picture: Parliament UK

Latest government figures show that between April and June there was an 18 per cent drop in referrals to children’s social care services compared with the average over the three previous years.

A raft of organisations have raised concerns in recent months over a spike in referrals to children’s services as schools reopen amid fears incidents of abuse were being “hidden” during lockdown.

The Children’s Society has said it expects referrals to children’s services to rise in the coming weeks, with schools playing a pivotal role in spotting neglect and abuse.

Meanwhile, Jenny Coles, president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, warned last month that children’s services departments are facing a post-lockdown “peak in demand” but have “no emergency funding left” to cope with it.

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