We care about child protection

In response to our briefing Don't Take Child Protection for Granted, warning that government plans to withdraw central funding for essential children's services by 2020, many concerned professionals have told us how important it is for child protection and other services for children in need to be fairly funded, and how dangerously low funding levels already are. Below are some of their comments.

Please note, these comments were made by individuals in a personal capacity and don't necessarily represent their organisations.

"This is another example of how children and young people in more disadvantaged communities will be further disadvantaged as a result of inequitable funding formulas which will punish most those who have the least."

Director, safeguarding charity

“Safeguarding children is a pivotal part of our society and we should not be putting funding or money in the way of safeguarding our children. ”

Head Teacher

“The future and protection of all of our children should be at the heart of any civilised society - well cared for, healthy children are our future. Their well being and safety should not be reliant on the potential for creating local wealth, this is their birth right.”

CEO, social care charity

“We can judge a nation by how it treats its children. Expecting local authorities to entirely fund child protection services through council taxation will see more children suffer. The loss of all local authority grant funding from 2020 is a travesty and puts LAs in deeply precarious situations that will very likely mean more harm to children, especially those children in poverty and living in areas of high deprivation. This cannot be allowed to happen. ”

Director, Social work organisation

“Children and young people in areas of deprivation have born the brunt of the austerity agenda since 2010. Enough is enough. We cannot allow the most vulnerable to be further impacted by unfair and politically motivated changes to funding.”

CEO, youth charity

“LA cuts in a small Unitary Authority, although in wealthy SE, have seen the decline of virtually all early intervention services. There is an expectation that the voluntary sector will fill the gap but no financial support. Please don't think that the more wealthy areas have the resources to protect children.”

Manager, parents' counselling service

“I work in one of the most deprived local authorities in England. Revenue from Council Tax will never be sufficient to pay for all the statutory services. Local Councils will be forced to withdraw funding from the voluntary sector (those who haven't done so already) in order to maintain Children's Services at the most basic level.”

Manager, advice service

“The safeguarding of our nation's children is obviously a national issue.... Localised funding can only be divisive and unjust. Surely National Government exists precisely to secure the future of our nation's children, and therefore our nation.”

Therapeutic childcare consultant

“Without the correct funding for these essential services we are not only letting down, but are also putting our most vulnerable children in our society at great risk. This is deplorable for a society in which we are meant to care.”

Project worker, children's charity

“This funding must NOT BE CUT. I am saddened and disgusted to think that councils up and down the country will lose this vital money and as a result, really struggle to meet the needs of vulnerable children. CHILDREN'S LIVES MATTER and we must let the government know that we (people like myself) are not at all happy simply because, as you say, children are the heart of our society - they are the future. ”

Volunteer, children's charity

“I deliver safeguarding training and feel that the government should not be allowed to do this.”

Safeguarding trainer

“It is a basic human right to be protected from abuse. That our government should remove the resources to make this possible for the most vulnerable people amongst us is reprehensible.”

Safeguarding officer

“Thresholds for social care are already too high. In my role I see so many children that fall through the sieve, so many families who are referred frequently and those referrals are closed with no further action required from social care. The ones I have concerns about, I call social care, I get told that they know full well that other issues will come up and these families will be referred back to them. The families on plans aren't being seen as often as they should. It really is as though they are waiting for something truly horrific to happen before they can intervene. Of course the reasons are complex and many, but cutting funding would be a clear sign of the government turning its back on those that are most vulnerable in our society.”

Health visitor

“If as a society we cannot safeguard our most vulnerable offering protection to our most vulnerable children then we are in a dire situation .... Worrying times.”

Safeguarding officer

“This ruling is a disgrace and the government should be ashamed. Children put their trust in adults and are so often let down and their childhood destroyed. Surely time for those in power to take some responsibility and start caring and use some empathy if they have any.”

Volunteer counsellor

“Children must always come first. The government must fund children's services in full. Lives are at stake, as well as their future.”

Volunteer, children's charity

“It is a disgrace how far the cuts to childrens services have gone already. My local council cannot protect children properly as it is. ”

Adopter

“ This is a national issue and should be funded sufficiently to ensure our children are kept safe.”

Service manager