Barnardo's responds to the Government's Care Review and its plans to reform the children's social care system.
Barnardo’s CEO Lynn Perry MBE said:
“We welcome the Government’s proposals to improve support for children in the social care system. This includes the commitment to help families before they reach crisis point, the focus on family and love and the importance of having a safe, stable and reliable place to call home.
“However, we are concerned that the £200 million funding pledged is too little to help address the current crisis in children’s social care. It falls far short of the amount needed – even prior to inflation, analysis by the Local Government Association found a shortfall of £1.6 billion per year just to maintain current service levels.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to address the fundamental inequalities that exist for children most in need of support. Currently, too many children are bounced around placements, schools and social workers, without enough stability or consistency. Nearly half of these children have a mental health disorder, and they are three times less likely to be in education, employment or training by the time they are 19 years old, compared with their peers. This just isn’t right.
“Many local authorities are now at breaking point as they struggle with years of reduced funding alongside increased demand due to Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. Without urgent and significant investment, we simply will not be able to achieve the changes children need. We look forward to working with the Government to help ensure children in care receive the same love, support and opportunities in life that we would want for our own children.”