Briefings and responses

The Department for Education’s most recent figures show there were 72,670 children in care in England on 31 March 2017. Of these, 53,420 were cared for in a foster placement, including 8,830 placed with family or friends. 2,520 were placed for adoption, representing 3 per cent of all looked-after children.

From Autumn 2021 there has been a concerning increase in reports of spiking, including a new trend of allegations of substances being administered by needles rather than through drinks. Councils take these allegations extremely seriously and have worked with the police and other partners to respond swiftly to these reports.

Local authorities have been at the forefront of the Ukraine response and have stepped up fast-paced support. The LGA would like to work with the Government to review and confirm the funding needed to meet the short- and long-term needs of all Ukrainian arrivals and those opening their homes to them, regardless of their route to the UK.

Whilst we recognise the Government’s aspiration to improve the current system, without addressing many of the detailed issues there is a significant risk that proposed changes could have a detrimental effect on the planning system. We have the opportunity to take the time needed to make improvements to the planning system. Conversely, if we get this wrong, the impacts will last for generations and some will be irreversible.

We are pleased that in the recent Spending Round, the Government has responded to our calls and provided desperately needed new money, including £1 billion for social care (children’s and adults), as well as confirming the continuation of existing grants. However, these one-off, piecemeal injections of funding hamper councils’ ability to plan for anything beyond a short-term horizon. Social care needs to be given long term funding certainty in the same way as the NHS, and we look forward to seeing the Government’s plans for long-term adult social care reform.

The LGA is calling for the Government to ensure that all councils have sufficient funding to deliver their 2023/24 budgets, set balanced budgets for 2024/25 and develop medium-term financial strategies that are not characterised by substantial funding gaps.

It is hugely disappointing that this settlement has confirmed that government will not provide any new funding for councils in 2017/18

Councils want to do all they can to keep children and young people safe and to help them to thrive.

Councils want to do all they can to keep children and young people safe and to help them to thrive.