Children’s services are at a “tipping point” due to a lack of funding, according to the Local Government Association.
The LGA said that in 2017/18, 382,180 children in England were referred and assessed as in need of the support of social services, starting what is known as an an “episode of need”.
This equates to children’s services taking on new cases for 1,047 children every day of the year.
Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “These figures highlight the sheer volume of cases that are being started by social workers on a daily basis, and illustrate the scale of demand for help from children and their families.
“But a lack of long-term funding is pushing children’s services to a tipping point, and threatens to undermine the vital support councils provide in protecting children and keeping them safe from harm.”
She said extra money announced in last month’s Budget would not tackle the immediate and future pressures on services.
