Grandparents recruited to show it takes a village to raise a child

VOLUNTEER grandparents could help save the taxpayer billions of pounds, a study has found, after a pioneering scheme recreated “village communities” to support vulnerable families.

The retired grandparents were recruited for their skills with toddlers and babies to work in “family hubs” that were found to save £2.60 for every £1 of taxpayers’ cash spent, according to a report published today.

The grandparents helped parents with traditional skills such as reading to their children, good table manners and settling them for bed. Two had worked as pre-school teachers enabling them to provide tips on socialising, discipline and ideas for play.

Barnardo’s has trialled the scheme on the Isle of Wight where the family hubs have been set up to emulate the traditional “village” community and tackle urban and rural poverty.

The hubs provide a local “nerve centre’’ for all family support within a community ranging from stay and play groups for children and breastfeeding support for young mothers to help with finding a job or applying for benefits.

An independent analysis of the scheme has found that for every £1 invested in the early intervention, £2.60 could be saved by reducing subsequent costs from problems such as treating mental ill health, domestic violence or anti-social behaviour.

Barnardo’s said the scheme, if expanded could play a key part in Boris Johnson’s bid to “level up” Britain by targeting support at the most vulnerable communities. It has submitted its proposals to the Government in advance of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s autumn spending statement, consultation for which closes on Sept 30. Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s interim chief executive, said: “Barnardo’s has long warned that children’s social care is becoming an ‘emergency service’, available only to those at crisis point or beyond. With the number of children in local authority care rising year on year, we must take action to support families before problems escalate.

“Only then can we truly ‘level up’ opportunities and give every child the best start in life.

“As a society, we need to provide parents and carers with the ‘village’ it takes to raise a child – whether that’s help with breastfeeding and good mental health or support with problems such as poverty or domestic abuse.”

Their proposal echoes recommendations by Dame Andrea Leadsom, former Cabinet minister, who is chairing a review commissioned by Boris Johnson into the experience of families during the crucial first 1,001 days of babies’ lives. She recommended all prospective parents should be able to access a “Start for Life” package of services that brings together the support available in their local area.

Barnardo’s said a rise in the number of children in care accounts for a significant part of the extra costs from failing to intervene early in family crises. There were 80,080 children in care in March 2020, a rise of a quarter from 64,400 a decade ago. Two thirds are in care because of family breakdown putting them at risk of abuse or neglect.

Analysis by Pro Bono Economics found spending on early preventative interventions such as children’s centres, family support services and youth support had fallen by 48 per cent between 2010-11 and 2019-20. Local council spending on late intervention had by contrast increased.

£2.60

Amount of taxpayers’ money saved, for every pound that is spent, when grandparents volunteered at family hubs