The recent Spring Budget provided a bit of recognition of the financial challenges we are grappling with in local authority children’s services. There was additional investment to upgrade the secure children’s home estate, extra capital funding for new residential provision and investment for special free schools, which is all welcome.

In January, the Government announced additional funding across adult and children’s social care, again, something the Association of Directors of Children’s services (ADCS) welcomed. However these one-off cash injections are sticking plasters.