Big rise in number of children in danger of harm
Services urgently need more money, says charity
A STEEP rise in the number of children identified as being at potential risk of serious harm in Yorkshire has prompted calls from leading charities for “urgent” investment in local services. An investigation by The Yorkshire Post, based on a series of Freedom of Information requests to local authorities, has shown that in some parts of the region the number of young people subject to child protection plans (CPPs) has more than doubled since 2010.
These plans – drawn up when a child is considered likely to be at risk of significant harm – are put in place by local authorities as a safeguarding measure.
Now, analysis by this newspaper has found, there has been a steady rise across vast swathes of the region with three authorities – Kirklees, North East Lincolnshire and York – seeing the number of protected children more than double in the past seven years.
“Punishing savings targets from central Government have given local authorities no option but to drastically shrink or abandon services, including family support, leaving large numbers of children on the fringes of social care without the help they need,” said Amanda Taylor, operational director at Action for Children.
“Opportunities are being missed to help these children and their families at an early stage so it’s unsurprising to see the figures of child protection plans increase across Yorkshire. If the Government is serious about looking after the most vulnerable children in our society, it must urgently reinvest in local services that are proven to tackle the root causes of neglect and abuse – not just hope it can firefight the symptoms.
“Action for Children currently works with a number of local authorities across Yorkshire to provide services to children in North Yorkshire, Kirklees and Bradford, supporting children when they need it the most – and critically before families reach crisis point.” The findings come after the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils across the country, warned care in many areas is being pushed to “breaking point”.
Research by the association earlier this month found there had been a 140 per cent increase in the number of child protection enquiries in the past decade.
The pressures facing children’s services are rapidly becoming “unsustainable”, the LGA warned, with a £2 billion funding gap expected by 2020 unless urgent action is taken to reduce the number of families relying on the children’s social care system for support.
A Department for Education Spokesperson said: “Councils will receive more than £200bn for local services up to 2020 and spent nearly £8bn last year on children’s social care but we want to help them do even more.
“Our £200m Innovation Programme is helping councils develop new and better ways of delivering these services – this includes projects targeting children who have been referred and assessed multiple times without receiving support.”
Opportunities are being missed to help children at an early stage. Amanda Taylor, operational director at Action for Children.
A GREATER focus on early intervention is needed, leading charities have said, to ease the pressure on social care services which are seeing a rise in the number of families in crisis. Figures uncovered by The Yorkshire Post revealing a steep increase in the number of children subject to protection orders since 2010 show a wide disparity across the region.
In Kirklees, the numbers have risen 127 per cent in seven years, while for North East Lincolnshire and York, that figure is up 119 per cent.
East Riding, Barnsley, North Yorkshire, Calderdale, Sheffield and Hull have all seen increases overall, with just one of 12 authorities which responded to an FOI request – Leeds – seeing a slight fall of 6.5 per cent.
Coun Lisa Mulherin, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families, said this was a reflection of efforts put in tackle issues at the root cause.
“We focus very much on early intervention to stop problems developing further, targeting those most at risk and working closely with children and their families in partnership with other agencies to develop agreed and lasting solutions,” she said.
“This restorative approach means we achieve the best results for the child because it has the input and support of their families as well as the professionals involved.”
Child protection plans are an “essential mechanism” for those in health, social care and education to identify when a child and parents need additional help, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said.
Drawn up with support from families and social workers when it is believed a child is, or is likely to be, at risk of significant harm, they set out steps to safeguard children and put in place named professionals to carry out care and support.
“When these plans are managed effectively they can do more than limit risk to the child, and can help ensure parents are made aware of what children need for a happy, healthy childhood,” a spokesman for the NSPCC said.
Amanda Taylor, of Action for Children, said research by the charity had found that just 17 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber were referred to early help services after their cases were closed to social care, compared to 40 per cent in the North West. “Social care can’t just be there for when a family is in crisis and by reinvesting in early help, the number of children on protection plans will dramatically decrease,” she said.
Local authorities said the figures have fluctuated over time, adding that there were a number of additional factors significant in the rise, including increased awareness.
“East Riding children’s services have improved their knowledge and assessment skills in dealing with neglect,” a council spokesman said. “Our figures of children subject to a child protection plan are still low in comparison to national statistics.”
In North East Lincolnshire, Coun Ros James said the council had introduced a change having recognised the “significant” rise. Since 2014 there has been a 100 per cent decrease with numbers stabilising and now more in line with similar authorities.
York Council said it had seen a significant rise in referrals in late 2016, as had authorities across the country, which explained the higher-than-usual number in March 2017. “Since then, we have seen a reduction in the number of children on child protection plans from 171 to 140, which brings the city in line with other areas across the county,” said Jon Stonehouse, corporate director for children, education and communities.
Steve Walker, Kirklees’ director of children’s services, said: “Safeguarding and promoting the children and young people of Kirklees is our first concern. It is a responsibility the council takes very seriously. Additional resources have been provided to Children’s Services to support this work.”
A Department for Education Spokesperson said: “Keeping children safe from harm is an absolute priority for this Government, and we want to make sure that social workers are supported to make the right decisions.”
Safeguarding and promoting the children of Kirklees is our first concern. Steve Walker, Kirklees’ director of children’s services.