CYP Now has collected the views of children's services experts from a range of backgrounds to hear what they think the key challenges and opportunities will be in 2016 across services for children, young people and families.
As local authority data reveals a doubling of cuts in spending on children's centres, forcing them to prioritise the protection of statutory functions, a DfE report suggests that councils' ability to do this is being stretched to the limit.
Ministers give "inadequate" children's services departments six months to improve or face having social care removed; plans for improvement bodies also unveiled alongside review of safeguarding boards.
Measures announced in the Chancellor's Spending Review will result in core funding for councils falling 24 per cent in real terms over the next four years. How will this affect children, young people and their families?