LGA responds to funding for children with alcohol dependent parents

Responding to a government announcement of more funding for some councils to help children living with alcohol dependent parents, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

“This funding is good news as it will help some councils improve outcomes for children whose parents are dependent on alcohol by improving access to the support they need and deserve.

“However, with councils facing a £2 billion funding gap for children’s services by 2020, we urge government to provide sufficient funding to enable councils to provide all children with the support they need, when they need it.

“A joined-up strategy is needed across government for all children and young people, to include all vulnerable groups. This needs to inform the Government’s green paper on children’s mental health to deliver the long-term reform needed to ensure the system speeds up the provision of support to children asking for help when they need it.

“We are also calling on the Government to reverse reductions to the public health grant to councils, which will help local authorities to do more to tackle drug and alcohol misuse.”