Government speeds up reforms to protect children from harm

Vulnerable children are to be better protected from harm after the government speeds up children’s social care reforms that prioritise prevention through its Plan for Change.

An extra £18 million will be spent on rolling out early intervention child protection reforms to councils in England to stop families from reaching crisis by strengthening leadership and speed up delivery.

The reforms include the roll out of Family Group Decision Making , an approach to involve extended family members in helping keep children at home rather than in care, and thousands more family help workers to provide earlier support for families experiencing challenges, such as substance misuse or poor mental health.

It comes after funding for this vital work has already been doubled to £523 million compared t