More than 180 children are placed on child protection plans every
day to keep them safe from harm – the equivalent of six primary
school classrooms’ worth of pupils – according to figures analysed
by the Local Government Association.
The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, says
this is double the number who were put on plans 10 years ago.
Latest figures show that 66,410 child protection plans were
started by councils in England during 2016/17, compared with
33,300 plans in 2006/7. This amounts to 182 plans started each
day.
The LGA warns that this increase shows the massive demand that is
being placed on councils at a time when resources are being
reduced, and highlights the growing number of children and
families needing support from children’s services.
Children’s services face a funding gap of nearly £2 billion by
2020 – and this is just to keep services running at current
levels.
Child protection plans are started by councils to support
families and keep children safe when it is thought they are at
risk of significant harm. This is a different arrangement to
taking a child into care.
They can be initiated for a range of reasons, including neglect,
physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
Councils say that while causes behind the large increase are
mixed and complex, factors may include greater public
awareness and willingness to report abuse following recent high
profile cases, combined with an increase in the number of
families struggling to cope without additional support.
Cllr Roy Perry, Vice Chairman of the LGA’s Children and Young
People Board, said:
“It is absolutely vital that councils are able to support
families and help children who are at risk of significant harm.
“But as these figures show, the pressures on councils are
mounting as a result of a huge increase in demand, with the
number of children being placed on child protection plans the
equivalent of six classrooms’ worth of pupils every day.
“Last week’s care crisis review highlighted the significant
pressure on the care system, with the number of applications to
take children into care more than doubling over a decade. But
these new figures demonstrate that the pressure on children’s
services goes much deeper, with high risk cases being managed
outside of the care system also increasing at an alarming rate.
“This is no longer sustainable, with many areas struggling to
cope. Children’s services are being pushed to the brink, and face
a funding gap of almost £2 billion by 2020 just to maintain
current service levels.
“We really need the Government to commit to fully funding these
services so that councils can manage the rising demand for help,
while also providing the additional resources they need to
support families before problems escalate to the point where a
child might need to come into care.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
The average primary school class size is 30 pupils.
Number of child protection plans started each year 2009/10 to
2016/17 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/657042/SFR61-2017_Main_tables.xlsx
Number of child protections started 2006/7 http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130316120843///media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xls/sfr282007xls.xls
