£500 million for councils to restore family services

Councils are to receive £500 million to restore family services.

Funding for preventive services has doubled to drive restoration in family and parenting support across every English council. It is hoped more vulnerable children will be prevented from falling through the cracks as the government restores family support services.

New guidance has set out an expectation on all councils and their partners to reform family support services to enable earlier intervention and better protect children from harm.

Reforms include introducing a single 'front door' to support service in every local area to make it clear to families struggling with complex needs such as mental health issues, disabilities and substance misuse, where and how they can access help.

Furthermore, thousands more family help leads will be matched with families to coordinate support and resources, taking responsibility for getting them the support they need to stop issues escalating. This is in a bid to end the experience of vulnerable families being passed from team to team.

The reforms are backed by over half a billion pounds for councils in 2025 to 2026, which is double their allocation from previous years.

Minister for children and families, Janet Daby said: "For too long, vulnerable children and families have been left to struggle – battling fragmented services and receiving support when it’s too late.  

"Backed by over £500m and delivering our Plan for Change, we’re putting an end to this injustice and building back crumbling family support services, to keep children safe and enable more families to achieve and thrive together.

"Whether seeking help with supporting a child’s development or for substance misuse, families can feel assured that they will get the right help at the right stage, as this government delivers the real change that matters to families."