Today, Action for Children has launched new research showing thousands of children across the UK are struggling to cope with serious problems that no child should have to deal with. Poverty, family illness and separation are having a devastating and potentially lasting impact on children’s lives. An economic recovery might be under way, but vulnerable families are still vulnerable; in fact there is a real risk that they will be left behind as others benefit from growth.
The Red Book 2013 shares a three-year programme of research carried out by the charity. It highlights the impact that government spending decisions are having on the lives of children and families, and, crucially, it investigates whether they can access the help they need early enough.
Action for Children works directly with more than 250,000 children and young people, parents and carers each year. Their services include intensive support for families experiencing multiple difficulties, as well as support for disabled children, young carers, care leavers, children who have been fostered or adopted, and many more.
These services are a vital source of support for vulnerable children. I know that life is turbulent for these children and their families, and I also know the difference it makes if a problem is addressed early.
But, this research shows that as their needs increase and budgets continue to be squeezed, some families just aren’t getting the early help they need. The charity says, ‘for every child or family they help there is another waiting at the door’. Almost half (47 per cent) of the services have seen an increase in referrals; nearly two-thirds of children’s centres (62 per cent) are referring families to foodbanks, and more than half (57 per cent) of the managers linked poor care of children to parental depression. These children are not responsible for the economic crisis, the recession or government spending priorities. But they are feeling the impact.
We know that tackling problems early can stop family problems from becoming entrenched. We have the evidence that proves early intervention works. We have a cross-party consensus that it is the right thing to invest in and deliver. Yet preventative spending is too easy to cut. And the service infrastructure vulnerable families need is fragmenting, and the vital early support that should be helping families before problems get out of control is at risk of disappearing.
The Red Book shows that over three-quarters (78 per cent) of contracts for early help and family support services have less than 12 months to go.
There is a mismatch between our ambition for and the delivery of early intervention. This is not solely down to recent spending decisions but instead due to longstanding processes in place that lead to short-term policymaking and inconsistent, unstable services.
If we can plan spending on Trident 20 years in advance, surely we can change the system for early intervention and support services for the most vulnerable children in our land.
I support The Red Book 2013 proposal to introduce five-year spending plans setting out the funding available for children’s services in line with the fixed-term parliament. Without this reform we won’t be able to realise the ambition of delivering the consistent early help and follow through that we know vulnerable children and families need. This new research is an opportunity for us to regain the momentum for early intervention and I think we should take it.
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Jack McConnell is an ambassador for Action for Children and a former first minister of Scotland. He tweets @LordMcConnell