Government strategy to fix children’s social care a "positive" first step, but more needs to be done, say councils

The Government has this week launched a consultation on a proposed Children’s Social Care Implementation Strategy aimed at transforming the current care system to focus on the provision of more early support for families.

However, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that the announced “longer term measures”, while important, will “not tackle the crisis that children’s social care faces right now”.

The Department for Education said that vulnerable children "will be better supported to stay with their families in safe and loving homes", as part of the overhaul.

The plan is a response to recommendations from three independent reviews by Josh MacAlister, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel into the tragic murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

"The findings revealed the current care system is often fragmented, siloed, and struggling to meet the needs of children and families across England," the DfE said.

The measures would see families receive local early help and intervention with challenges such as addiction, domestic abuse or mental health, to help families "to stay together where possible and overcome adversity".

Kinship care, where a child is placed with a relative or close family friend, will be prioritised by “simplifying the process and providing more support to extended families, such as grandparents, aunties, uncles and others”, the Government said.

This will start in up to 12 local authorities and is backed by £45m to “embed a best practice model that will then be shared more widely”, it added.

Foster carers are also to see an "above-inflation" increase in their allowance.

Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Claire Coutinho said: “Children in care deserve the same love and stability as everyone else. Yet we’ve seen from the two tragic murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson that more needs to be done to protect our most vulnerable children.

“Our wide-ranging reforms will put strong relationships at the heart of the care system. From supporting our brilliant foster carers, kinship carers and social workers to getting early help to families and improving children’s homes, we want every child to get the support and protection they need.”

Measures announced yesterday (2 February) in the proposed strategy, Stable Homes, Built on Love, include:

• introducing more effective, joined-up family help for those that are struggling: this new approach will be tested in the 12 local authority areas
• where a child is at risk of harm, experts will intervene "swiftly and decisively" to protect them: a new 'Child Protection Lead Practitioner' role will have advanced, specialist training, and will work in a fully joined up way with other services such as the police, to better identify and respond to significant harm
• harnessing the value of family networks by supporting the kinship care system: the government "will explore the case for a new financial allowance, possible additional workplace entitlements and options for an extension of legal aid for kinship carers who become Special Guardians or who hold Child Arrangement Orders"
• transforming the experiences of children in care and care leavers, by prioritising children in care living in homes close to their family, friends, communities and schools.
• expanding and strengthening the children’s social care workforce: local authorities will be supported to recruit up to 500 new child and family social worker apprentices and there will be consultation on proposals to reduce over-reliance on agency social workers
• setting clearer direction for everyone who works in the system, through a new Children’s Social Care National Framework and Dashboard.

Responding to the announcement of the new strategy, Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “Much of this strategy is positive, including its focus on earlier help, support that builds on the strengths within a child’s wider family network, and greater ambition for children in care and care leavers, which are all areas where we can make an enormous difference. We’re also pleased it intends to address the high and costly churn of agency workers, which does not always deliver the best for children.

“Taking a ‘test-and-learn’ approach to the implementation of the reforms gives us the opportunity to ensure we get this right. However, many of these are longer term measures, which while important, will not tackle the crisis that children’s social care faces right now. There is urgent need for immediate action."

Cllr Jamieson said the funding announced, "while helpful", fell short of addressing the £1.6 billion shortfall – estimated prior to inflation – required each year simply to maintain current service levels.

“Much of the additional funding committed in this strategy will go to pathfinder and pilot areas. This means that children living in the majority of the country will not benefit from the level of additional funding that the care review and our own analysis have demonstrated is desperately needed. We already have a significant amount of evidence about what works, including that developed through the Department for Education’s own innovation programme," he said.

“Significant additional funding for all councils, not just those in pathfinder areas, can be wisely invested in stabilising the current system to ensure strong foundations on which to build future reform."

Cllr Jamieson said the LGA looked forward to the DfE following this strategy by setting out its response to the SEND review.

Also responding to the strategy, Cllr Ian Edwards, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children & Young People, said: “The government is right to recognise the massive pressures facing the system and the need both for reform and more resources. Boroughs will certainly welcome the strategy’s emphasis on early intervention, joined-up help for struggling families, and expanding councils’ social care workforce.

“However, funding looks set to remain a major concern. We estimate that London boroughs are collectively overspending on children’s social care budgets by around £200m each year because of the immense support needs in our communities. A sustained growth in investment for local services will be essential for making these ambitions a reality”.

The Government is seeking views on its proposals to reform children’s social care. The consultation will run until 11 May, and seeks views on the Department’s proposed response to various recommendations.