Small Scale, Big Potential: Town and parish councils and devolution
Parish and town councils could play a central role in making devolution work for communities.
Fitness star takes action to help end bed poverty
24/03/2026 Mr Motivator has launched a campaign to help local experts support children facing bed poverty. |
Uniform reuse scheme aims to cut costs for London families
23/03/2026 A uniform reuse initiative has been launched by four waste authorities in the capital. |
West of England £1 bus fare cap to last until 2029
23/03/2026 The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has extended the children’s £1 bus fare cap for a further three years. |
Over 300 schools to open nurseries in childcare cost drive
23/03/2026 The Government has announced that more than 300 schools across England will open or expand nurseries from September. |
Children stuck in hospital as lack of community care sparks ‘hidden crisis’
19/03/2026 Children are spending thousands of unnecessary days in hospital due to gaps in community and social care, the Children’s Commissioner for England has warned. |
Contract blunder left 400 children without therapy, ombudsman finds
04/03/2026 Bucks Council left up to 400 children without therapy they were legally entitled to after failing to properly manage a change in its contracted services. |
AAT helps Councils step up to address children’s social care
27/02/2026 As the Government announces a £555m fund for children’s social care reform, focusing on putting families first and providing early help, AAT is stepping up to help councils deliver in practice. |
What the new cross-border placement rules in Scotland mean
17/02/2026 In this expert analysis, Ellen Bond, MFMac’s Family Law team, outlines what the new Cross-border Placement of Children Regulations 2026 will mean for councils. |
Govt pledges to recruit 10,000 foster carers
03/02/2026 The Government has unveiled a plan to recruit up to 10,000 new foster carers in England this Parliament, aiming to reverse a sharp decline in approved carers. |
Kent leader calls for child migrant cost support
03/02/2026 Kent CC has urged the Government to tackle costs tied to caring for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children after Ofsted downgraded its children’s services. |
Nearly half of parents are nervous about SEND system changes, poll reveals
29/01/2026 Almost 50% of parents are worried about approaching changes to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, research has found. |
Children face ‘unprecedented’ mental health strain, research says
28/01/2026 Nearly 80% of parents are worried about their child’s mental health, a survey has revealed. |
MPs call for overhaul of early years' healthcare support
22/01/2026 MPs have called for an overall of early years’ healthcare support, including more health visitors and Family Hubs, and a new vaccines strategy. |
Children still overlooked as domestic abuse victims, report warns
21/01/2026 Children affected by domestic abuse are not being consistently recognised as victims by frontline services across England and Wales, joint report warns. |
Manchester boosts children’s access to sport pathways with new tennis pilot
20/01/2026 Manchester City Council and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) have rolled out a new pilot programme to improve sporting opportunities for local children. |
Combined authority to crackdown on junk food ads
19/01/2026 Liverpool City Region is set to clampdown on junk food and high sugar drink advertising across publicly owned assets. |
PAC: Hundreds of children failed by ‘dysfunctional’ care system
15/01/2026 Hundreds of vulnerable children in England are being placed for months in illegal, unregistered homes, according to a shocking new PAC report. |
Study finds traces of harmful weedkiller in children’s playgrounds
15/01/2026 Eight UK playgrounds have been found to be contaminated with the weedkiller glyphosate, which is associated with serious health risks. |
Council urges Government to make all primary schools ‘smartphone-free’
19/12/2025 A council is urging the Government to bring in a ban on smart phones in all primary schools in England. |
Councils launch campaign to counter seasonal rise in domestic conflict
16/12/2025 Councils across Yorkshire and the Humber have linked up to launch a campaign to promote healthy relationships at Christmas among residents in their area. |
Most vulnerable families missing out on benefits of council run holiday schemes
09/12/2025 Councils are concerned that the most vulnerable families are missing out on benefits of their holiday activity and food (HAF) schemes for low-income families. |
Three combined authorities receive £500,000 each to tackle educational inequality
08/12/2025 Three mayoral combined authorities are to receive £500,000 each to find ways locally to tackle inequality among children. |
SEND campaign to prioritise local voices
02/12/2025 A public engagement campaign on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has been launched to include local families in decisions about reforms. |
Budget: Two-child benefit cap lifted
26/11/2025 Abolition of the two-child benefit cap in today's Budget has been welcomed as a ‘first step' in tackling child poverty. |
Council staff visited wrong house before Sara Sharif’s murder
13/11/2025 A safeguarding practice review has found that children’s services in Surrey failed to identify abuse suffered by 10-year-old Sara Sharif. |
Islington Council wins baby vaccination court battle
06/11/2025 Islington Council has won a High Court battle to vaccinate a baby against her mother’s wishes. |
Dozens of missing child asylum seekers unaccounted for in Kent
03/11/2025 More than 50 unaccompanied child asylum seekers who disappeared after arriving in the UK remain missing, according to data obtained through an FOI request. |
Scrapping two-child limit could lift 330,000 children out of poverty, report finds
30/10/2025 The Government could reduce the number of children growing up in poverty by an estimated 330,000 if it scrapped the two-child limit, according to think tank. |
290,000 children missing out on free meals in childcare
20/10/2025 290,000 children under five in households claiming Universal Credit are missing out on free meals in nurseries, pre-schools, and childminders, report reveals. |
Record 172,000 children trapped in temporary housing
16/10/2025 One in five families with children in temporary accommodation (TA) in England have been living there for five or more years, official statistics reveal. |
Government pledges £80m to support children’s hospices
15/10/2025 Children’s and young people’s hospices in England will receive £80m over the next three years. |
LADO reform proposed to safeguard vulnerable children
30/09/2025 The Children’s Commissioner has called for the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) role to be fully independent of local councils. |
Labour conference: Schools to benefit from library investment
29/09/2025 Chancellor Reeves is expected to announce plans to provide libraries for every primary school across the country. |
Councils face challenge as primary school enrolment declines
24/09/2025 The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has published new analysis showing a sustained decline in primary school enrolments across London. |
Better Results, Smarter Spending: AllChild in Wigan
12/09/2025 Wigan Council and AllChild are proving that long-term, community-driven programmes can improve outcomes for children while reducing pressure on local services and public spending. LocalGov finds out more. |
Edible playgrounds sprout up in Sunderland schools
12/09/2025 Three primary schools in Sunderland are embracing outdoor learning with the installation of new Edible Playgrounds. |
NAO: Children’s residential care market failing
11/09/2025 Care for looked-after children is costing councils more than ever, but many young people are still being placed in settings that don’t meet needs, NAO warns. |
PAC: Family court delays put social care under strain
10/09/2025 Children and families are being failed by delays in the family justice system, the Public Accounts Committee has warned, with impacts felt in social care. |
Call to boost physical activity for children in care
10/09/2025 Care-experienced children and young people are a ‘hidden group’ often overlooked in physical activity policy, according to a report launched today by the LGA. |
One in four children facing hunger, charity warns
10/09/2025 Millions of children across the UK are growing up hungry with over one in four living in households facing food insecurity, according to the Trussell Trust. |
Call for greater play provision in urban areas
09/09/2025 Play spaces for children are being neglected in favour of local housing developments, a study suggests. |
Disadvantaged children left behind by childcare policy, report warns
02/09/2025 Children from disadvantaged families are receiving far less Government-funded early education than their peers, report from Coram Family and Childcare warns. |
Lewisham slammed over child homelessness failings
28/08/2025 Lewisham Council has been criticised for leaving a seriously ill child at risk after failing to act swiftly in a homelessness case. |
Overdiagnosis straining SEND system, think tank says
28/08/2025 England’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is unsustainable because of an overdiagnosis of mental health issues, think tank says |
Two-thirds of councils lack safeguarding policy for gender-questioning children
26/08/2025 Two-thirds of councils with care responsibilities could not provide a policy on safeguarding processes for gender questioning children in care, study finds. |
Reducing School Stress: The Role of Local Government
14/08/2025 Discover how local authorities can tackle school-related stress through early intervention, funding, and digital tools to boost children’s mental wellbeing. |
Councils crack down on dangerous fake Labubus sold by ‘rogue traders’
13/08/2025 A number of councils have issued statements about the health and safety risks posed by fake Labubu toys. |
Councils deliver ‘inconsistent’ support for young carers, charity reveals
04/08/2025 Twenty one percent of councils lack provision for young carers during school holidays, research finds. |
Surrey schools to get longer half terms
15/07/2025 Starting in October 2026, council-maintained schools in Surrey will have a two-week half term and a shorter summer break. |
Councillors hold minute’s silence for girl killed by tree
14/07/2025 Councillors in Southend-on-Sea held a minute’s silence in memory of a seven-year-old girl who was killed by a falling tree. |
Measles death prompts call to improve vaccine uptake
14/07/2025 There is an urgent need to address falling immunisation rates to protect children against measles, local authority leaders have said. |
Rollout of £500m fund to support young people
14/07/2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to announce the launch of the Better Futures Fund, a £500m initiative to help reduce youth poverty. |
Alarm raised over safeguarding risks in temporary accommodation
07/07/2025 Councils must do more to consider safeguarding risks when housing children in temporary accommodation, says the Children’s Commissioner. |
Councils to agree targets to boost school readiness
04/07/2025 Education Secretary Bridget Philipson is set to announce the Government’s aims to help close the ‘disadvantage gap’ in schools. |
EHCPs jump up 11% in a year
27/06/2025 The number of children on Education, Health and Care Plans has increased by 11% in a year, official statistics have revealed. |
Number of family hubs down by a third
24/06/2025 The number of family hubs and children’s centres in England has reduced by more than a third since 2009, freedom of information (FOI) requests have revealed. |
Response to temporary accommodation report ‘lacking in detail’
18/06/2025 The Government’s response to a report by MPs urging it to publish a strategy for ending homelessness was ‘disappointingly lacking,’ committee chair says. |
Council chiefs demand funding to boost children’s play facilities
10/06/2025 The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for ‘long-term, consistent funding’ to help councils implement the national play strategy. |
'Burning platform' warning on early years' services
05/06/2025 Early years’ services are on a ‘burning platform’ with UK outcomes among the ‘worst in the civilized world’, a leader has warned. |
LGA: Expansion of free school meals raises data questions
05/06/2025 Council leaders welcome the expansion of free school meals but warn they face data sharing and resource challenges. |
Croydon to cut last lollipop patrols
03/06/2025 Croydon Council is set to remove the remaining lollipop school crossing patrols by the end of the year. |
School children driven indoors by protective bird of prey
02/06/2025 A north London primary school has sought health and safety advice after a bird of prey bases itself in the children’s play area. |
School meals posing ‘worrying’ health risks, charity warns
29/05/2025 Schools must do more to support children’s long-term health by reducing the quantity of processed meat served at mealtimes, charity says. |
Children face ‘catastrophic’ care waiting times
22/05/2025 Hundreds of thousands of children are being left waiting for vital community care services, children’s health care professionals warn. |
EXCLUSIVE: Family decision making model keeps children out of care
15/05/2025 A new charity report highlights how an evidence-based model of family-led decision making can help keep children out of care. |
Number of children living in hygiene poverty surges
12/05/2025 A recent study has revealed a staggering number of children are living in hygiene poverty, with over one million children unable to access essential products such as shower gel, deodorant and toothpaste. |
Local authority launches robot pilot project in schools
09/05/2025 Wakefield Council is set to trial a pilot project involving robots, enabling students to engage in school remotely. |
Record number of children in temporary accommodation
30/04/2025 A record 165,510 children are now homeless and living in temporary accommodation, according to the latest homelessness figures. |
Directors of children’s services criticise pepper spray policy
24/04/2025 Council directors working in children’s services have criticized the Government’s decision to allow the use of pepper spray in young offender institutions. |
Temporary accommodation crisis ‘utterly shameful’, MPs say
03/04/2025 Council chiefs have urged the Government to increase the temporary accommodation subsidy as MPs warn homeless children are living in ‘appalling conditions’. |
One in three children in relative poverty
28/03/2025 Almost one in three children are living in relative poverty, according to the latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). |
Disadvantaged children ‘priced out’ of childcare
20/03/2025 Council leaders called for a review of who is entitled to free childcare after a survey revealed disadvantaged children were ‘priced out’ of nursery places. |
New animation raises air quality awareness
17/03/2025 BCP Council is raising awareness of the dangers of air pollution among children across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole using the power of animation. |
Local areas failing to address racism in child safeguarding
11/03/2025 Local areas are failing to address the safeguarding needs of Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage children, a new report into child safeguarding has found. |
Ministers consider exemptions to benefit cap
27/02/2025 Parents of children under five reportedly could be exempt from the two-child benefit cap. |
Tameside children waiting too long for care reviews
27/02/2025 Tameside Council is taking too long to review children’s education, health and care (EHC) plans, an investigation has found. |
Children in prison failed by ‘multiple services’
27/02/2025 Children in prison have been failed by ‘multiple services’ and youth custody worsens their disadvantages, according to the Children’s Commissioner. |
Nearly 70,000 children to benefit from free breakfast clubs
24/02/2025 Around 67,000 children from some of the most deprived areas in England are set to receive free school breakfasts. |
Unions brand reunification service closure ‘callous’
19/02/2025 Cambridgeshire CC’s decision to close down a service helping children in care would harm vulnerable children and cost more money, unions warn. |
Council chiefs warn of ‘stark inequalities’ in oral health
11/02/2025 Local authority leaders have urged the Government to take urgent action to address ‘stark inequalities in oral health’. |
Hundreds of children forced ‘out of area’ for mental health care
10/02/2025 Hundreds of children are forced to travel out of their local area for mental health treatment, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP). |
Children stuck in limbo amid delays for mental health support
05/02/2025 Young people seeking mental health support are not getting the help they need, according to a new survey. |
Children's mental health crisis costs over £1tn
05/02/2025 The failure to tackle the children's mental health crisis costs the UK over £1tn in lifetime lost earnings, researchers focusing on mental health warn. |
Quarter of children need social care by 18, study finds
03/02/2025 One in four children in England require social care services by the time they turn 18, a new study has revealed. |
Growth alone won’t cut child poverty, research finds
29/01/2025 Labour will make no progress on child poverty by the end of this Parliament unless it invests in social security, new analysis has found. |
Racism not main driver of children joining riots, report says
28/01/2025 Young people who took part in last summer’s riots were not primarily driven by social media misinformation or racism, according to new research by the Children’s Commissioner. |
Rising number of child deaths linked to temporary housing
28/01/2025 An estimated 80 children died in temporary accommodation in the year up to 30 September 2024, according to new research. |
Schools Bill criticised by commissioner
27/01/2025 The children's commissioner has criticised Labour's schools Bill, arguing it does not include details on how councils would cope with the extra responsibilities. |
Number of school children receiving SEN support surges 40%
21/01/2025 The number of British school children receiving support for special educational needs (SEN) has surged by 40% since 2016-2017, a new study has revealed. |
ADCS: Cuts have led to poor safeguarding outcomes for children
14/01/2025 The combination of poor-quality housing and the cost-of-living crisis is contributing to ‘family distress and breakdown’, safeguarding report concludes. |
Tower Hamlets to introduce school uniform grants
10/01/2025 The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is set to introduce school uniform grants for families on low incomes. |
Council takes steps to tackle toilet training crisis
08/01/2025 Teachers in the Welsh county of Blaenau Gwent will no longer change pupils who have wet or soiled themselves, according to the local authority. |
Phillipson open to Government funding local grooming inquiries
08/01/2025 Ministers have promised the Government will ‘take whatever steps necessary to keep children safe' when asked if Whitehall would fund local inquiries into grooming gangs. |
Labour urged to take action on child poverty
07/01/2025 The Government will need to take ‘action on multiple fronts’ to lift more children out of poverty, a think-tank has said. |
Jay distances herself from fresh inquiry calls
07/01/2025 The former head of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse has warned against ‘politicising' the issue. |
Landmark Bill to introduce ‘children not in school’ registers
17/12/2024 Council chiefs welcome Bill that could bring in new registers to identify children who are not in school but say it should go further to ensure child safety. |
Call for change after Sara Sharif murder
13/12/2024 Some 485 children in England died or were seriously harmed by abuse or neglect in a year, a report by the child safeguarding practice review panel has revealed, as experts called for change in the wake of the murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif. |
Newcastle to auto-enrol pupils for free school meals
10/12/2024 Eligible families in Newcastle will be automatically signed up to receive free school meals, the city council has announced. |
Scottish Government pledges to scrap two-child benefit cap
05/12/2024 The Scottish Government has announced plans to scrap Westminster’s ‘pernicious’ two-child cap on benefits. |
Child put in care after councils fail to adapt home
05/12/2024 Errors made by two councils left a child with significant and complex needs living in an unsuitable home for ‘far too long’, an ombudsman has found. |
