Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for children's services.
Funding for children’s services is made available through the local government finance settlement. We are in the final year of a multi-year settlement deal and have made £46.4 billion available this year for local services including those for children’s services. The government has also made £410 million available to local authorities this year specifically for adult and children social care.
My department is working with the sector, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and with HM Treasury, as part of our preparation for the next Spending Review, to understand the level of funding local government needs to meet demand and deliver statutory duties.
The Department for Education are also working closely with MHCLG on the review of relative needs and resources to develop a robust, up-to-date approach to funding distribution for children's services at local government finance settlements.