Statutory duties for children’s services up 50% in seven years: research

There are now almost 300 local authority statutory duties in relation to children’s services, up from around 200 in 2011, research by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services has found.

Matt Dunkley, Chair of the ADCS Resources and Sustainability Policy Committee, said the list of legal responsibilities for councils in relation to children, young people and families was “lengthy and growing”.

He said: “This is in stark contrast to a 50% reduction in funding for local authorities since 2010 and an increasing number of children and families in need of help and support, facing evermore complex problems. Local authorities have worked hard to make savings, but now there is nowhere left to go, except cutting preventative services that reduce demand.

“We hope this ever-increasing list highlights the urgent need for a sufficient, sustainable core funding strategy for children’s services – without this our ability to make good, safe decisions in the best interests of children and families will increasingly be compromised.”

The list of duties can be viewed here.