Before the pandemic children were facing multiple issues – 4 million were growing up in poverty, 1 in 5 experienced domestic abuse, increase in children with poor mental health, more children were entering care in England, and a serious spike in youth violence taking to many young lives.
Access to early support for children had been decreasing for several years, including the closures of children centres and youth services, often leaving children and their families reaching crisis point before access support.
In 2019/2020, more than 8 in 10 councils in England responsible for children’s social care overspent by £832million despite councils increasing their budgets by £535 million in 2019/2020. These issues still exist today, exacerbated by the pandemic.
We believe that the pandemic must be a catalyst for real change for children and families, going beyond the school gates to ensure families can access the right support at the right time – enabling children to thrive at home and in school. To do this, children need to be at the centre of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, supported by a cabinet minister for children and a cross-government strategy.