Select committee: Public Services Committee
Conclusion 1
1st Report - Children in crisis: the role of public services in overcoming child vulnerability
Published 19 Nov 2021
Paragraph 58
Public Services Committee The role of public services in addressing child vulnerability All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Cu ts to early intervention funding since 2010 have led to worse outcomes for vulnerable children in England. They have not produced savings for the taxpayer: spending on costlier later interventions such as support for looked-after children in social care rose during the same period. The effects of this lack of investment have been felt disproportionately in the most deprived areas.
From: Public Services Committee, 1st Report - Children in crisis: the role of public services in overcoming child vulnerability, paragraph 58, 19 November 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 11 March 2022 (deadline 31 January 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it has considered the Committee's recommendations and is "looking carefully at what more can be done", partially accepting several, rejecting the call to restore early intervention funding to 2010 levels, and declining a single national strategy.
- On a national strategy on child vulnerability (Recommendation 2, "Partially accept"), it does not believe a single strategy is the best way to drive coherence and impact, as its breadth "would risk it becoming unmanageable".
- On restoring ringfenced early intervention funding to 2010 levels (Recommendation 3, "Reject"), it points to £4.8 billion of new grant funding for councils over three years and a £500 million early help package.
- On a statutory duty to collaborate (Recommendation 4, "Partially accept"), it says existing legislation and guidance already apply and it does not consider further law necessary "at this time".
- On a national Family Hubs roll-out strategy (Recommendation 15, "Partially accept"), it says it will set out more detail on family hubs policy, including delivery of the £300 million investment, "in due course".