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“The harrowing exploitation of children and young people is a significant, increasing concern for councils who work hard to identify and protect those at risk of abuse.

“It is absolutely vital that the Autumn Statement ensures that children’s services are adequately funded so councils can meet this rising demand and ensure children and their families get the support they need, as soon as they need it."

“It is vital the Government fully funds the early years entitlements, ensuring providers get the support they need while enabling all children to have access to places.”

The number of children in England waiting for a place in a secure children’s home (SCH) has doubled in a year, new figures show, underlining the urgent need for the Government to tackle the severe lack of provision that supports some of the most vulnerable young people in the country.

“We urgently need to reform our children’s social care and SEND systems, including transformational investment in the services that give all children the best start in life.”

Soaring demand to protect vulnerable children at risk of harm has seen spending to provide support increase by almost a quarter in five years, with an upcoming national care review a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to set out long-awaited reform, councils are warning today.

"It is good the Government has acted on our call for councils to be allowed to establish their own multi-academy trusts. This recognises the important role of councils as education partners and enables maintained schools to continue enjoying a close working relationship with their council."

“Despite the best of intentions, the current system is not working, and we are pleased government has set out reforms to address this. They will only succeed if parents and carers have confidence in the system."

“Councils have a crucial role to play in education, from ensuring every child has a school place to turning around struggling schools, and as they showed when providing vital support to schools during the pandemic."

More than a million additional school children could receive free school meals and be entitled to extra support funding if the sign-up process for the scheme was simplified and extended to more families.