17.10.18
Thousands of babies at risk of harm due to children’s services cuts
Almost 16,000 babies are growing up in “toxic” households where they are at risk of harm following unprecedented financial strain on children’ services, according to a report by the Children’s Commissioner for England.
The ‘Crying Shame’ report shows that there are 15,800 babies under the age of one are considered by local authorities to be vulnerable or highly vulnerable and at risk of harm living in their households.
The commissioner, Anne Longfield, said that the research showed that “hundreds of the most vulnerable young children are at risk of harm” with around 100 babies per local authority making up the 15,800 at risk babies under one.
Fifty thousand children aged between zero and five are living in households with all three of the so-called ‘toxic trio’: domestic violence, drug dependency and severe mental ill-health.
Children living in these households are at “very high risk of severe harm,” but the research reports that just 18,500 children aged between zero and four are on child protection plans.
Longfield said: “Babies are too vulnerable and deserve better. The Government has an opportunity in the Budget and next year’s spending review to make sure the funds are in place ensure that they are properly protected.”
Children’s services face a £3bn funding gap by 2025, and health organisations have recently urged Philip Hammond to invest in more funding for social care in the Autumn Budget.
Many local authorities are struggling with unprecedented financial pressures that are putting increasing strain on children’s social services, with council’s such as Norfolk CC having to close children’s centres and cut services.
Responding to the report, Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “These worrying figures underline the huge number of children and families in need of help and support, and emphasises the colossal challenge facing councils and their partners as they try to address growing levels of need with rapidly diminishing resources.
“While it is absolutely vital that councils are able to support families and help children who are at risk of significant harm, they also need to be able to intervene before problems escalate to that point.”
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Image credit - damircudic