The current focus on childcare entitlement can hold back toddlers from the poorest homes, says the chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation Sir Kevan Collins.
Increasing levels of child poverty are affecting children and young people’s education, with schools dealing with ‘Dickensian’ levels of squalor, a major teaching union has warned.
Frontline services in Northamptonshire will be largely protected in next year’s budget, the troubled county council claimed – although council tax will rise.
The rising number of children in care places “huge demand” on councils and reinforces the need for greater funding for children’s services, council leaders have said.
An additional commissioner is likely to be sent into troubled Northamptonshire County Council after Ofsted found children’s services have “significantly declined”.
Ministers are finally listening to local government and last week’s Budget represented a series of strategic victories for the sector, says James Maker of the County Councils Network.
