Funding for children\u2019s services is made available through the local government finance settlement (LGFS), which gives local authorities flexibility to target spending according to local needs and to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including services for children and families. Since 2010, the responsibilities of local authorities and the makeup of their funding streams have changed significantly. Therefore, wider spending power measures are not directly comparable over this period.<\/p>
Over the 5 year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the LGFS, to over £200 billion to deliver local services, including children\u2019s services. Core spending power has increased from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20.<\/p>
In addition to this the Autumn Budget announced a further £410 million in 2019-20 for local authorities to invest in adult and children\u2019s social care services. It also announced £84 million of extra funding, over the next 5 years, to support local authorities to invest in initiatives that improve social work practice and decision making.<\/p>
Local authority level data since 2013 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait<\/a>.<\/p> National level children in need and service use since 2010 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-children-in-need<\/a> and: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children<\/a>.<\/p> The most common factors recorded in children\u2019s social care assessments are domestic abuse and mental health. These have been consistently the top two factors for the years during which we have collected this data and have risen in line with trends in demand.<\/p> The Department for Education are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the review of relative needs and resources to develop a robust, up-to-date approach to funding distribution for children's services at LGFSs.<\/p> The government will continue to work closely with the sector to consider long-term children\u2019s services funding as part of the upcoming Spending Review.<\/p>"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the change in the level of funding per child for children\u2019s services on the number of (a) children in need (b) child protection plans and (c) looked after children since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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