New figures show that serious child-related incidents reported by
councils have risen by almost a fifth in the past year, the Local
Government Association reveals today.
There were 536 serious incident notifications in England
during 2020/21, up 87 (19 per cent) on the total of 449 in
2019/20, and 41 per cent higher than the 379 incidents five years
ago in 2015/16.
The highest proportion of serious incident notifications in
2020/21 continues to be for children aged under one, with 191
incidents (36 per cent).
The number of notices relating to child deaths increased by
35 (19 per cent), from 188 to 223.
The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, is
extremely concerned about children’s safety amid extra pressures
on families during the pandemic, with acts of abuse more likely
to go unseen “behind closed doors” during successive
lockdowns.
Despite pressures on funding, councils have tried to
protect budgets for the services that protect children, investing
an additional £1.1 billion over the last two years by diverting
funding from other local services. Despite these efforts, soaring
demand for safeguarding services means councils still overspent
their children’s social care budgets by £832 million in
2019/20.
The LGA says this is clear evidence of the urgent need for
the forthcoming Spending Review to invest further in children’s
social care. This includes sufficient funding to provide
preventative and early-help services to help avoid situations
escalating into acts of abuse and harm on children and young
people. The LGA has repeated its call for the £1.7 billion
removed from the Early Intervention Grant since 2010 to be
reinstated.
The LGA is also calling for a cross-Whitehall strategy that
puts children and young people at the heart of recovery and
ensures local safety nets are properly resourced and well
organised.
It says the Government’s independent review of children’s
social care is a vital opportunity to help ensure sufficient
resources are available to give all families and children the
support they need and deserve.
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA’s Children and
Young People Board, said:
“Supporting and protecting vulnerable children is one of
the most important roles played by councils who want to ensure
all children are safe, loved and thrive, so this rise in serious
incident notifications is particularly harrowing and a huge cause
for concern.
“The pandemic has put extra pressure on families,
particularly those living in difficult circumstances, which can
fuel harmful acts of abuse or neglect on children. Councils have
been working hard with their partners to identify this and
provide the help children need, but it is vital that children’s
social care services are funded to meet this need.
“The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care has
already identified that there is no situation in the current
system where we will not need to spend more to keep children
safe. The Government must heed this warning.
“We also want to work with government to produce a
cross-Whitehall strategy for children and young people, clearly
articulating the role that all departments will play in keeping
children safe and well. It is only by working together that we
can effectively safeguard our most vulnerable young
people.”
Notes to editors
-
Serious
incident notifications 2020/21
-
The Early Intervention Grant has been reduced by the
Government from £2.8 billion in 2010/11 to £1.1 billion in
2018/19, as outlined in LGA publication, ‘A
child-centred recovery’.
-
LGA:
Eight in 10 councils forced to overspend on children’s social
care budgets
-
Independent Review of
Children’s Social Care case for change
