Cuts may increase risk to children, council admits (From Croydon Guardian)

Cuts may increase risk to children, Croydon Council admits

9:00am Friday 18th January 2013 in News By Chris Baynes, Reporter

More young people could end up in crisis due to planned cuts to early help for vulnerable children, the council has admitted.

Croydon Council this week revealed proposals to merge early intervention and youth support services as it looks to reduce spending on help for young people by £1.75m over the next two years.

It said the restructuring, scheduled to take place in September, would mean more a consistent approach to young people as well as lower management costs.

The council could not say which services were at threat,  but a report outlining the plans said: "The loss of preventative services inherent in this proposal does mean there will be a reduction in early help for children and young people, thus potentially generating the need for intervention when needs become more serious. 

"This will have financial consequences for the council as it is more expensive to intervene with more serious issues. It will also increase safeguarding risks for children and young people."

Councillor Kathy Bee, shadow cabinet member for children and young people, said: "The whole emphasis of early intervention is that if you put money in at the start it costs you less in terms of money and human problems.

"The bottom line here is that fewer families and children will be helped and there will be more children who need expensive interventions at a later stage."

The council's cabinet will decide on the proposed merger on Monday.