Tag Archives: ‘Short-termist’ government funding for children’s services ‘destabilising’ councils’ ability to sustain provision

‘Short-termist’ government funding for children’s services ‘destabilising’ councils’ ability to sustain provision | Community Care

Care Services, caring, finance, Government, Local Authorities, Political, safeguarding, Social Care, , , , , ,

This Government and many previous Governments appear to have no knowledge about sustainable Social Care, in this respect with regards to children, but there are also many examples regarding adults.

All aspects of care, certainly need sufficient funding at the outset, but sustainability is also essential.

It would be bad enough if Local Authorities had sufficient funding to start with, but 10 years of Tory austerity cuts, then the additional costs relating to COVID and the continual Government requests to find saving. These saving have long gone and were they even there to start with, for technically there were no savings to be effectively made. If there were savings these should have been used to build reserves to be used in times of unplanned events.

COVID being one, but many do occur and have done so over the years. But Governments are only, it appears, prepared to entertain short-term outlooks and some even feel even short-term is not a consideration.

If resources are pared to the minimum and even below, then this is, at times, not sufficient for everyday occurrences, let alone the unplanned.

Cuts to services are not good for anyone, let alone those in real need and this explains the situations, over the years, which have left those in need in many safeguarding situations.

How many times do we hear the dreaded phrase, ‘lessons will be learnt’, but they are not ever, for there is never the finance for lessons to be learnt, let alone the time.

Authorities just move from one crisis to another, without really solving the current and many past.

Our Government needs to learn that Local Authorities, be they social or health need to be sufficiently funded and stop requiring savings.

The UK population is increasing with people living longer and it should not need an ‘Einstein’ to understand that increasing populations, living longer and new innovations will require more funding, not less.

It was wrong to start austerity cuts and all these need to be reversed immediately. It will be said the UK can not afford to do so, to which I say, can it afford not to do so.

 

Source: ‘Short-termist’ government funding for children’s services ‘destabilising’ councils’ ability to sustain provision | Community Care