Children’s services chief calls for £12.5bn investment

Children and family services will need an additional £12.5bn over three years to help people ‘thrive, not just survive’, according to the new ADCS president.

Speaking yesterday (22 April) in her inaugural address as president, Charlotte Ramsden, who is also strategic director for people at Salford City Council, admitted the figure was ‘a lot of money’ but added ‘it would be worth every penny to create a country that works for all children’.

‘We know there will be long-term impacts, good and bad, experienced by children, young people and their families,’ said Ms Ramsden.

She added these children and families will need ‘long-term sustainable support’ which is delivered locally and addresses the entrenched social and cultural problems as well as the immediate impact of the pandemic.

‘What is unknown is the degree of severity and the legacy of those impacts,’ added the new ADCS president.

‘ADCS wishes to amplify our influence in order to maximize the impact of the Children’s Social Care Review if it is to be the ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to build on the successes and improve the weaknesses in the social care system in order to improve outcomes for children, said Ms Ramsden.

‘Crucially we need better residential care, with placements that meet children’s actual needs. We can achieve this though better commissioning, child-centred practice and regulation that works.’

She said one of her policy priorities for the year ahead will be to advocate for the development of a more effective interface – nationally, regionally and locally – with providers of adult health and social care services in the creation of more and seamless 0-25 services for those who need them.

‘Together I think we can make sure that the physical, mental and emotional health needs of children and young people are prioritised in ICS developments.

‘The emerging operating model for ICSs… appears to have forgotten children… How can this white paper have even been conceived of, never mind written in a child-blind way? … As your president I will seek ever closer partnership with health colleagues to meet children’s needs better and together with our friends and colleagues in ADASS and the LGA.’

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