Investing in children’s services Joint budget briefing

Key messages

• Councils face a funding gap for children’s services of at least £3 billion by 2025, not accounting for future growth in demand.
• Between 2010-11 and 2015-16, central government funding for local authorities’ children and young people’s services decreased by £2.4 billion (24%) in real terms.
• Local authority children’s services are at breaking point. The Budget is the opportunity for the government to get these critical services back on track.