Responding to the Secretary of State for Education’s Ministerial Statement on children’s social care, Andy Smith, President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, said: 

"The government’s move to end payment by results for the Supporting Families Programme is a hugely positive step in the right direction towards ensuring that the limited funds in the system are used in the best interest of children and families, rather than on the mechanisms of tracking and reporting on this vital work. We have long argued that the placement market for children in care is dysfunctional and in need of urgent reform if it is to deliver the best outcomes for the children and young people, so the suite of measures here are similarly welcome.

“We are also pleased to see this government’s commitment to invest in early help and prevention as this can deliver real benefits for children as well as their families. Prevention is always better than cure and intervening early can prevent future misery and harm as well as cost to the public purse. To consolidate this support, it must be backed by long-term, sustainable funding for local government and children’s services. We urge the government to use the spring budget to set out sufficient multi-year settlements for local authorities so they can effectively plan for the future."

ENDS