Bold choices can arrest care population's rise

If policymakers are looking for evidence of the rising demand for children’s services, latest figures on the number of care applications in England provide it.

The figures published by Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) last week reveal that February registered a new high watermark in the number of monthly applications – 1,225. The nine per cent rise on the previous highest monthly total reflects an upwards trend in month-on-month figures since the start of 2015.

There are many reasons for this – changes in government guidance and policy, more vigilant child protection practice and the impact of poverty all play a part – but it does not change the fact that the current year’s total for care applications has surpassed the level for the entire 2014/15 period, with another month’s figures yet to come.

Care applications are an important measure of the increased demand for services because they reflect the number of children living in unsafe circumstances. While the government, rightly, emphasises the need to intervene earlier to protect vulnerable children, it is likely that the numbers taken into care will also continue to rise. Given that councils are expected to deliver more intensive support to looked-after children, the pressure this will place on children’s services budgets will be intense.

Yet government funding for the early help services that can prevent the need for state intervention is continuing to fall. Latest research by a group of major children’s charities shows early intervention spending by local authorities will drop 71 per cent between 2010 and 2020 – from £3.2bn to less than £1bn). The situation is illogical in the context of rising demand, but reflects the dire state of local government finances.

This funding and demand landscape is shaping children’s services leaders’ decisions today and will for years to come. It is against this backdrop that a paper has been published by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services. Pillars and Foundations is an honest assessment of the challenges faced by the sector and suggests possible solutions. Some of the ideas put forward by this unashamedly provocative “think piece” will be unpalatable for some children’s sector leaders – particularly an increased reliance on volunteers – but their radical nature is a testament to the severity of the situation.

The paper says children’s services, as currently funded and organised, cannot continue to cope with ever-rising demand. It says there must be greater focus on reducing referrals through self-care, online advice and peer-to-peer support. Universal services must also do more to deliver interventions earlier, while for children that do require social care interventions it will be necessary to combine the skills of specialist workers and volunteers.

Many of these ideas have great potential and some are already being trialled in local authorities and partners across the country. But they are long-term solutions that will require the redesign of services over many years. Until then, children’s services have an uphill challenge to improve outcomes for the vulnerable young people and families.

derren.hayes@markallengroup.com