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“We urge the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care to consider these recommendations in their final report and are keen to work with the Government to ensure that children can live in the homes that best suit their needs and where they can thrive.”
More than 1,000 youth and community support workers could be recruited using money removed from a flagship government fund for youth services, according to new analysis by the Local Government Association.
The number of children with mental health problems seen by social workers has surged by a quarter since before the coronavirus pandemic, amounting to nearly 1,500 kids presenting to councils every week.
"We fully support the investment targeted at ‘cold spot’ areas, to help provide the schooling every child deserves. However, the pandemic has hit the educational attainment of all pupils hard, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds, and the impact of this will be felt for years to come."
Responding to the Commission on Young Lives report into children’s social care, suggesting it is potentially unfit for purpose, Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:
“Keeping children and young people safe is one of the most important roles that councils have. However, a huge increase in demand at a time when council budgets have been significantly reduced is making it increasingly difficult to carry out this role effectively for all children. Despite increasing children’s social care budgets by over £1 billion over the
“Councils’ youth offending teams have an exceptional record of reducing youth crime and making a real difference to young people’s lives, but they are under huge pressure after seeing their government funding halved over the last decade."
“Councils face significant financial challenges to deliver much-needed SEND support to all those who need it and to meet rising demand, reporting a spending deficit of £675 million last year."
"Councils want to work with government on a child-centred, cross-government pandemic recovery plan which offers the very best future for children and families."
“Mental health needs to be at the heart of a holistic approach to overall health and wellbeing, including investment in community-based services, such as youth services. Health and wellbeing should be intrinsically linked to a child-led education recovery plan."