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  • • Nearly half of children in care have a mental health disorder
  • • 4.3 million children in the UK are living in poverty
  • • Nearly half of children in care have a mental health disorder
  • • 1.4 million children & young people have a probable mental health disorder
  • • 1 in 5 babies aren’t receiving their entitled health visiting check at one year old

Responding to yesterday’s announcement on children’s social care, the Children’s Charities Coalition – Action for Children, Barnardo’s, the National Children’s Bureau, NSPCC, and The Children’s Society – said:

“The announcement of new funding for early intervention services is a significant and welcome step that will help prevent children and families from reaching crisis point.

“We know from our own research that spending on early intervention services like children’s centres, family hubs, family support services and youth services has nearly halved since 2011 while the numbers of children in care and the associated costs have rocketed. This announcement hopefully signals a turning point.

“The new Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant, worth £250 million, is a much needed down-payment which must pave the way for greater investment in the family help that many so sorely need.

“We look forward to next year’s multi-year funding settlement giving local authorities certainty to plan and invest for the long term – and it must include the further investment needed to transform the whole children’s social care system.”