NCB report ‘Off the Radar’ - ADCS Response

ADCS response to the National Children’s Bureau report, ‘Off the Radar’

Alison Michalska, ADCS President, said:

“ADCS welcomes the focus of this report and our members share the concerns expressed by councillors that rising demand and reducing resources are leaving children’s needs unmet. Local authorities are absolutely committed to improving children’s life chances but a series of conflicting national policy initiatives coupled with dramatic reductions in public sector funding are increasingly affecting our ability to improve outcomes. On average local authority budgets have reduced by 40% since 2010 and at the same time demand has risen significantly. This has forced local authorities to reduce vital non-statutory services – tipping more and more families into crisis and driving up demand for child protection services. Providing children and their families with the right support at the right time is the only way to manage demand and improve outcomes for children and their families in the long run. We hope children and young people are high on the Chancellor’s agenda in the forthcoming autumn Budget. Government must act quickly to address the £2bn funding shortfall facing children’s services by 2020.”

ENDS

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