Rachael Wardell OBE, President of ADCS, said:

“There is significant fragility in local government after a decade and a half of funding reductions, with reserves depleted, assets being sold and income such as council tax receipts and business rates falling.

“Children’s social care is a growing budget pressure, as this report points out, but there is no equivalent to the adult social care precept for children’s services. 

“Recently, there has been an increased focus on tackling rising costs associated with children’s social care. This includes action to address the costs of agency social workers, new capital investment to enable local authorities to build and operate their own children’s homes, and a suite of provisions in the new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill aimed at tackling profiteering in the placement market.

“Directors of children’s services are actively involved in the budget setting process for their local authority. However, there are multiple moving parts, and many of the factors driving both need and demand for our help and support lie beyond our direct control, from levels of local poverty and employment to the strength and capacity of other public services, most notably the NHS.

“Our own Safeguarding Pressures research shows children’s mental health is a growing concern for all DCSs and a significant driver of both demand and cost pressures.

“Where children’s services are on an improvement journey - often after a poor inspection outcome - costs are considerably higher. Much of this relates to staffing, whereas high performing, stable local authorities experience lower and more predictable costs.

“Without sustainable, long-term investment in children’s services and a national approach to tackling the drivers of demand, local authorities will continue to face impossible choices that risk undermining the support and protection children and families rely upon.”

Ends