Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget is an 'important step forward' in helping families but the Government must go further.
This is the verdict from Barnardo's after the Chancellor's financial announcement in the House of Commons earlier today.
Barnardo's interim co-CEO Michelle Lee-Izu said: “We welcome today’s £500m package for families unveiled in the Budget as an important step forward in helping them access support earlier. The extra investment announced for the Supporting Families programme, holiday activities and food for school will provide vital support to some of the most vulnerable.
“Evidence shows that providing families with appropriate support through our family hubs on the Isle of Wight saves the taxpayer £1 million a year. We run children’s centres and family hubs across the country, and we know they make a vital difference to parents and children struggling with challenges like poverty, mental health and domestic abuse.
“That’s why we are calling on the Government to go even further and ensure there is a hub available to those who need it in every community - to help families with everything from breastfeeding to keeping teenagers safe from criminal exploitation. This is essential if we want to reduce the number of children coming into local authority care every year.
“We also welcome the funding earmarked for youth services, which will provide important opportunities for children and young people, to build relationships and help protect them from the risk of exploitation by gangs.
“The announcement of an extra £1.8bn for catch-up funding for pupils to recover from the effects of Covid is also much needed. There is a real danger that the pandemic could leave a lasting legacy of anxiety and poor mental health among young people unless action is taken, so part of this funding must be used for mental health and wellbeing support, including ensuring mental health support teams exist in every school.”