LGA responds to PAC report on children’s social care innovation

Responding to a report by the Public Accounts Committee on evaluating innovation in children’s social care, Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:

“It is good the Committee backs our call to build on the success of the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme as councils face both financial pressures and increasing numbers of children requiring support for more complex needs.

“The programme has been shown to decrease the rate of children in care in participating council areas, which highlights what councils can achieve when they are given additional funding. Therefore, it was disappointing that over a third of councils did not receive any extra funding from the programme, leaving them unable to develop, or in some cases maintain, crucial services that can make a difference to the lives of children and families.

“Furthermore, it is vital the Government adequately funds children’s social care and stands by its commitment to respond to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care by the end of this year so that we can get on with the job of reforming the system without further delay.”