A group of over 120 children’s charities, teaching unions and other organisations have accused the Government of ignoring children and young people in its spending commitments.
In an open letter to Downing Street, the organisations have demanded that the Government recognise compelling evidence that the services and support which children and young people rely on are at breaking point.
The call comes from one of the broadest coalitions to assemble around such a cause, with representatives working across child health, education, social care, disability and poverty all signing the letter.
As the Chancellor prepares his 2018 budget, and with a spending review looming, signatories have insisted that urgent action must be taken to put children at the heart of Government spending plans.
The letter, sent to both the Prime Minister and Chancellor, highlights the pressing challenges facing services and other support for children, showing that:
- Ninety children are being taken into care every day – this is a record high
- Less than a third of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health problem will get access to NHS funded treatment this year
- Only three in a hundred families of disabled children think the health and care services available to their children are adequate
- Almost three-quarters of school leaders expect they will be unable to balance their budgets in the next financial year
- The number of children with special educational needs who are awaiting provision has more than doubled since 2010
- Up to three million children are at risk of going hungry during school holidays
The coalition of organisations is asking parents, families and other members of the public to show their support by signing a public petition to the Government and using the hashtag #ChildrenAtTheHeart on social media.
Laurence Guinness, Chief Executive of The Childhood Trust, said: “Before Universal Credit is fully rolled out children are already going hungry in increasing numbers and hard-working families are breaking down because of static, poverty inducing wages and ever rising prices. The government urgently needs to show moral courage by adequately funding Universal Credit and stopping the cruel punishment it’s inflicting on many of the poorest and most vulnerable in society.”
Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive of the National Children’s Bureau and Chair of End Child Poverty, said: “We’ve seen successive budgets come and go with token spending commitments for children and families. If austerity is really coming to an end, its high time the Government puts its money where its mouth is, and makes a concrete financial commitment to the welfare of children.
“Things we once took for granted, like family support, children’s centres, and respite care for families with disabled children are now the privilege of the few. In some areas of the country, over half the children are growing up in poverty. For these children and the many others who need urgent help, the services, benefits and support that could provide a lifeline have been cut to the bone. We are failing our children if we don’t put them at the heart of government spending.’
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “School funding is at breaking point with many head teachers having to drastically cut back on courses offered, resources, building repairs, school trips and after school clubs. Class sizes are being increased and the numbers of teachers and support staff are being reduced while begging letters for money to parents and carers are commonplace. Enough is enough – our schools need more funding if we are to give all our children, including those with SEND, the education they deserve.’
Kathy Evans, Chief Executive of Children England, said: “We can’t stand by and watch children pay the bill for the recklessness and debts of bankers and politicians. Austerity is not over for children, it’s getting worse – and Theresa May must stop it.”
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: “Big social security cuts are pulling more and more of our children under the official poverty line so nine children in every class of thirty are living under the official poverty line now – and most have at least one parent in work. Children’s health and wellbeing, their educational outcomes, their life chances and what they will earn as adults are likely to be jeopardised by growing up in poverty. If we want a fair start for every child, we need to reinstate the funding that has been cut from financial support for children. Restoring the value of child benefit, ending the freeze on working age benefits and reinstating the huge sums that were taken out of Universal Credit are essential first steps.”
Dr Carol Homden, CEO of Coram, said: “Working with more than one million children, young people, families and professionals, we have seen first-hand how severely cuts to services and support have affected them.
“Children are waiting longer to be adopted, others have been denied access to free legal advice and representation – going homeless or being excluded from education, and too many parents are frozen out of work and trapped in poverty because of high childcare costs.
“All children should have the chance and the resources they need to live a fulfilling life and to succeed, and we urge the Chancellor to put children at the heart of decisions about spending and increase the investment in children and families.”
* Read the letter to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor here
* End Child Poverty http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/
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