Laura Sharman 02 June 2021

Councils should have legal duty to provide ‘early help’ says report

Councils should have legal duty to provide ‘early help’ says report image

A new report is calling for a legal duty on local authorities to provide early help to children and families, rather than providing what is easiest to measure.

Research by the National Children’s Bureau and the University of Cambridge argues that early help can help prevent children reaching a crisis where interventions by social workers are necessary, at a considerable expense to the public purse.

However, it found it has been difficult for policy-makers to make the case for early help as measuring what works is difficult.

It also found there is a lack of a clear shared definition of early help and little agreement over the thresholds for stepping in to provide support.

The National Children’s Bureau is calling for a legal duty on local authorities and statutory safeguarding partners to provide early help, funded by the Treasury. It argues this should include support to alleviate the impact of poverty and poor housing.

Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive of the National Children Bureau, said: ‘One of the central aims of the Children Act was to give a sense of urgency to authorities when they take action to protect the welfare of children. But progress has stalled, and funding cuts mean that services often let children and families’ lives spin out of control before doing anything.

It’s time for a rethink of how we configure services – and that action starts with Government lifting the pressures on struggling families, and not ignoring factors like poor quality, over-crowded housing and poverty.’

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: 'Rising demand for support and funding pressures have meant that councils have been forced to divert limited resources away from preventative services and into support for children most at risk.

'By reinstating the £1.7bn lost from the Early Intervention Grant since 2010, the Government could ensure councils can help children and families earlier, rather than waiting for problems to reach crisis point.”

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Senior Lawyer (Planning)

Torbay Council
£55,181 - £58,269 / year
Torbay is breath-taking, captivating, and welcoming, occupying a prime position on the south coast of Devon. Torbay, Devon
Recuriter: Torbay Council

Legal Officer

Torbay Council
£28,598 - £31,022 / year
No two days in Torbay are ever the same! Torbay, Devon
Recuriter: Torbay Council

Technician - Highway Inspector

Derbyshire County Council
Grade 8 £29,719 - £31,691 per annum
Within the Highways Maintenance Team we are looking for an enthusiastic, customer focused and experienced person Derbyshire
Recuriter: Derbyshire County Council

Education, Employment and Training Case Worker

Oxfordshire County Council
£34434 - £37280
About the Role This is an exciting opportunity to be a part the of EET service and make a difference to a young person’s ambitions and future learning and employment. As an an EET Case Worker you will work directly with a caseload of NEET (not in educat Bicester Children & Family Centre
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Highway Design and Construction Manager

Bolton Council
Grade N, scp50 £62,443 to scp53 £65,663 per annum, plus essential car user allowance
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. Bolton, Greater Manchester
Recuriter: Bolton Council
Linkedin Banner