A busy time

21 Oct 2022 Home / Blog / A busy time /

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Autumn is always a busy time for local authorities. Budget setting season is in full swing and each year the task of balancing budgets gets tricker to do with more children and families coming to our attention presenting more complex needs. Now inflationary pressures and the cost of living crisis are placing further pressure on council finances, and also on our staff and the children and families we support. This will inevitably mean more people will be pushed into debt and poverty and forced to make difficult decisions about heating or eating, yet worryingly England remains the only country in the UK without a child poverty reduction strategy. This must be a priority for the new Prime Minister (whoever that may be when you read this!) and their government.

National government has provided some support to households with the rising cost of living which is welcome. To support residents through this difficult time, local authorities are opening up ‘warm banks’, public places people can go to keep warm if they need. We also know food banks and baby banks up and down the country continue to do incredible work to support people who cannot afford the basics. It’s helpful these places exist to support those who need it but it’s a poor reflection on our society that they need to exist at all.

The cost of living crisis and pressure on council finances will be amongst the ‘hot topics’ for discussion at the National Children and Adult Services conference (NCASC) 2022 in Manchester taking place in less than two weeks’ time. This event is one of the most important events in the children and adult services calendar where lead members, councillors, directors of children and adult services and others come together to discuss the pressing challenges we face and to share learning. I always come away feeling like I’ve gained a lot from the sessions, listening to experts in their field and networking with colleagues from across the country.

There is always a lot going on during the NCAS conference and this year will be no different with ADCS publishing the executive summary of its latest iteration of Safeguarding Pressures research before the full report lands later in the year. It’s always a hugely valued mine of information and something I often find myself coming back to. Safeguarding Pressures 8 will be particularly important as it covers the entire period of the pandemic from 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2022. We are all still seeing the effects of the past two years on our children and families. Having an up-to-date evidence base is of huge importance to the sector, especially when making our point to national government about the pressures we are all facing. Like the rest of you, I’ll be eagerly awaiting its publication. Hope to see some of you in Manchester in a couple of weeks.