Children's commissioner calls for more money for the care system

The Children's Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, wants the care system for young people to be improved and receive more funding.

The care system in the UK is there to help children and young people who need extra support and need to be away from their families for some time.

Anne Longfield's job is to promote and protect the rights of children and in a speech today she'll set out her hopes for the future of children's social care.

At the moment she's concerned that "while many children are protected, others are falling through the gaps and into the clutches of criminals, or leaving school without qualifications."

Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield wants more to be done to help children in care

Ms Longfield said she is always struck by the resilience and positivity of children in care, despite it being really difficult for them to organise and enjoy activities like sleepovers and school trips.

She will add: "No child should ever been seen as too complicated to help, or someone that nobody knows what to do with. People in the system have said this to me and I'm not prepared to accept it.

"Let's build a system where those experiences are standard. A system which recognises each family's unique situation and responds to the need of every child, wherever they are in the country, with the same standards of protection and support."

Anne Longfield wants the government to put more money into the care system because she's concerned that otherwise councils will struggle to support children enough because of other issues they have to deal from the coronavirus pandemic

She is calling for "a system which recognises each family's unique situation and responds to the need of every child, wherever they are in the country, with the same standards of protection and support."

In response, the Department for Education, said: "We want every child in care to grow up in safety to be healthy, thriving adults.

"We are supporting councils to meet the increasing challenges they face as a result of the pandemic and we are placing social workers into school to help teachers notice the signs of abuse of neglect more quickly."

Also an independent review of children's social care is expected to be announced soon by the Government.

Ms Longfield said this is a "golden opportunity" for the Government to improve the experiences and outcomes of vulnerable children in the care system.