Soaring demand to protect vulnerable children drives cost of care up by a quarter new LGA analysis

SOARING demand to protect vulnerable children at risk of harm has seen spending to provide support increase by almost a quarter in 5 years, with an upcoming national care review a "once in a generation" opportunity to set out long awaited reform, Councils are warning today.

The Local Government Association, which represents Councils, is urging the Independent Review of Children's Social Care to call for a white paper by the autumn, as well as a long-term funding solution for services that have been:- "stuck in crisis mode" for too long.

The review was commissioned by Government to look at where and how far the children's social care system needs to change.

Children's services departments are currently focussing much of their resources into supporting those who are in most desperate need of help.

It means many Councils are struggling to invest in the early help services that prevent families from reaching crisis point in the 1st place.

This comes as latest figures show that Councils in England spent over £10.5 billion on children's social care in 2020/21; nearly 25% higher than in 2016/17, where expenditure was almost £8.5 billion.

They also reveal:-

 More than two thirds of Councils are now overspending their budgets, to keep up with rising demand to support vulnerable children. Councils overspent by more than £800 million in the year 2020/21. This is despite Councils increasing their budgets by £708 million that year and by £1.2 billion in the past 2 years.

 In the past decade, the number of Section 47 enquiries, carried out when Councils have reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering, or at risk of, significant harm has increased from 111,700 in 2011 to 198,790 in 2021; a rise of 78%.

 The number of children in care in England has increased from 65,510 in 2011 to 80,850 in 2021; a 23% rise.

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA's Children and Young People Board, said:- "This is a crucial year for the services that support our children and young people, with the Schools white paper, a SEND green paper and the care review all being published in quick succession. Councils, and the children, young people and families that they work with, have waited a long time for all of these pieces to be published. Children's social care services have been stuck in crisis mode for too long. We are ready to start making the changes that will improve our services and make children's lives better. These new figures demonstrate how hard Councils are working to invest in the services children need. However spiralling costs and increased demand means that funding is largely supporting those in most urgent need of help. We continue to call on the Government to invest additional funding in the strong family help services that can prevent families from reaching crisis point. The Independent Review of Children's Social Care is a once in a generation chance to reform our systems to make sure all children and their families receive the right support at the right time, to enable them to thrive. The review must be followed by a children's social care white paper that demonstrates Government's commitment to investing in and reforming the services that change children's lives."

Sleep expert reveals power nap tips to:- 'RECHARGE' your day - you will need coffee for this

WE all tend to run on low power mode at some point in the day, leading to low efficiency when at work. Sleep expert Rosie Osmun from Each night Mattresses outlines how we can feel recharged with a 15 to 20 minute power nap.

What is a power nap? A power nap is a short period of rest during the daytime which decelerates the brain and body activity to leave you recharged.

Are power naps important? They certainly are as they offer the following benefits:-

► It offers you a revived feeling to conquer the day's activity.

► It boosts your cognitive function in the brain and powers your memory and alertness.

► Power naps help heighten your mood during a mid day slump by giving your brain a break.

► Your health and wellness get better with power naps as researchers have discovered a connection between power napping and a lowered risk of heart related conditions.

How can you best prepare for a power nap? Power naps are best for when you feel fatigued; hence, create or look for a calm environment to ensure your nap is peaceful. If you work from home, the bed is the best place; however, consider sleeping on the couch if you do not want to get too comfortable during working hours. Bring a blanket or pillow and have a recharge snooze in the car if you are in the office.

Can coffee help with efforts to amplify energy levels? Coffee does amplify your energy levels and is even better when combined with a power nap. Try a cup of coffee before napping as it helps to stimulate energy in addition to feeling refreshed once you are up.

What is the best time to take a power nap? The optimal time for the perfect power nap time is between 1 pm and 3 pm as your body clock naturally dips during this period. For shift workers, it is necessary to do a 10 to 15 minutes power nap during your break at work to keep you energised.

What could make a power nap ineffective? Distractions like your phone can put your mind in a state of wander, rendering the nap ineffective. Also, exceeding 30 minutes of your nap time will activate deep sleep, leaving you tired and groggy after waking up.