Children and young people’s services: Spending 2010-11 to 2018-19

This research provides updated analysis of the most recently available funding and spending trends within children’s services across England. Between 2010/11 and 2018/19, our modelled estimate of funding for children’s and young people’s services has fallen by 23% from £9.7 billion to £7.4 billion in real terms.

Our analysis shows that:

• Local authorities have fought hard to limit the impact of funding cuts on frontline services, and their spending on children and young people’s services has fallen at a considerably lower rate than the equivalent reduction in funding available;
• However, this has occurred over a period in which demand for support has increased; and
• The combination of cuts to funding and rising demand has pushed local authorities to shift away from so-called ‘early intervention’ services that enable professionals to step in early before problems escalate, and forced them to allocate ever greater proportion of their spending to statutory areas such as safeguarding and children in care.

Keywords: Children's Services; Covid-19; Early Intervention