Urgent call for funding as record 617 child protection investigations carried out a day

More than 600 child protection investigations a day are now carried out by social care services - a record high, the latest figures show.

There were 225,400 investigations to assess if there was a risk of significant harm to a child in England in the year to 31 March 2023, latest figures from the Department of Education show.

That amounts to an average of 617 every day, the highest amount since data started to be collected in 2019, when there were 66 fewer a day.

The number is also higher than the previous year, with 217,800 in 2022 - 596 a day. Numbers went down during the 2020-2021 COVID years.

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Local authorities are responsible for carrying out assessments if there is reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer significant harm, to determine if steps are necessary to safeguard a child's welfare.

Councils get a budget from central government for child social care but many have to spend more, taking money away from other key areas, as they have to legally provide the service.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents all English and Welsh councils, is calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to use the upcoming budget to ensure councils are fully funded and resourced to tackle the rising demand for support from vulnerable children.

LGA analysis shows inflation and wage pressures, coupled with cost and demand pressures, mean English councils face a £2.3bn funding gap in 2025/26, rising to £3.9bn in 2026/27.

This means a £6.2bn shortfall across the two years.

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The group said councils have faced spiralling costs and pressures in children's social care, pushing budgets up by 11% in the last year alone.

Key drivers behind the increase in children needing support include mental health and domestic abuse.

The LGA said the rise in investigations has also been fuelled by schools making more referalls to children's social services, with an 8% increase in five years.

Separate data from the County Councils Network, which represents county and unitary councils, said the rising cost of adult and child social care, and school transport will cause a £54bn black hole in English council funding across the next five years.

Arooj Shah, chair of the LGA's children and young people board, said: "It is deeply saddening when any child experiences suffering, and it is absolutely right that councils act where there are concerns.

"However, these disturbingly high figures show the huge pressures councils are under to intervene and provide that vital care and support.

"As a society we must do what we can collectively to ensure every child is safe from harm.

"This is why we are calling on the chancellor in the autumn budget to provide an emergency cash injection for children's social care to help councils continue to provide this lifeline of support for vulnerable children."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Any instance of child cruelty, abuse or neglect is abhorrent.

"We know that councils need support, which is why we are committed to resetting relationships with partners including local government, and working together to give every child the best start in life.

"We are also taking action to tackle abuse by investing £45m in new multi-agency child protection teams, as part of a pilot which brings together local authorities, police, health and education to make sure that where children need protection, this happens quickly."

(c) Sky News 2024: Urgent call for funding as record 617 child protection investigations carried out a day