Creating a seamless system of support for vulnerable children and families

The human, social and economic costs for children, parents and society of vulnerability and crisis are devastating but despite this, there is not yet an adequate system in place to prevent breakdown occurring.

That the UK spends around a huge 60 per cent of its overall spend on children’s services, accounting for £2.2 billion annually on the care system and with approximately 60,000 children in local authority care at any given time, exemplifies this well. But most children will not arrive at being in extreme need overnight – many children move in and out of greater and lesser vulnerability over time and many could be prevented from becoming more at risk if we helped them sooner.

Coming at a crucial time in the development of preventative services, this paper’s starting point is the wide range of interventions that are currently operating coupled with the major potential of the development of universal integrated services through children’s centres, extended schools and youth strategies. The report sets out how early intervention can be achieved as part of the wider Every Child Matters reform process and the system and practice changes needed to take this forward.


Download the full report below.

Download the press release for the launch of the report.