EDUCATION
from under their feet. Even the apparent beneficence of the additional funding for child tax credits begins to look a little dubious when set against the reduction in the childcare element of working tax credits.
And what of the so-called ‘softer’ services for children such as local libraries and their role in inspiring young minds to think, feel, create, imagine and respect others through books and through allocating time and space for ‘play’ groups which, as well as providing a crucial forum within which young children learn about social interaction, allow new parents to develop the support networks necessary for learning how to provide children with a caring and stimulating environment?
Unfortunately, the libraries are being closed too. Disadvantaged parents will not be able to afford the private alternatives that their middle class and wealthy counterparts will turn to.
Finally, what support will there be for parenting, that
essential element in ensuring that children, especially those growing up in families with complex needs, are given a good start in life?
Again, there are fine words but, according to reports from the front line, the impending redundancies within local councils will mean that there won’t be the staff to run parenting projects that in any way match the level of need for them.
The government is overlooking the fact that cutting these services now will result in higher costs further down the line. The 2009 nef report Backing the Future: why investing in children is good for us all8
,
makes the economic, social and human case for investing in children through funding children’s services, in particular in the early years.
At its heart is a ‘model of prevention that is universally preventative from the first years of life and where children’s services are effective at the
The report provides some compelling examples of the value generated from investing in early interventions: for every £1 invested annually in the East Dunbartonshire Family Service, £9.20 is generated in benefits to society; for every £1 invested in the +5 project of the Caerphilly Family Intervention Team, £7.60 worth of societal benefits are
earliest stages if and when problems do arise’9
. In short, it
argues for spending now on both universal and targeted services in order to avoid the onset of social and economic problems in the short, medium and longer term. It cautions against inaction on the basis that the financial and other costs to children and wider society will be severe.
Using a social return on investment model (SROI), Backing the Future calculates that £191bn of targeted investment in the period 2010- 2020 would lead to a saving of £460bn in spending on social problems, or provide a net ‘return’ on investment of £269bn.10
generated. It makes the case that investing in children – backing the future – is economically as well as socially shrewd.
We are told that ‘the spending review makes choices’11
. It
certainly does. It chooses not to back the future of our young people or to protect some of the most vulnerable members of society. But much remains to be decided. Let us hope that those choosing how to implement the cuts in the numerous areas that impact on children decide not to ‘cut the future’ but to back it.
(Endnotes) 1
2 3 4
Comprehensive Spending Review p27 Comprehensive Spending Review p41 Mahony, P. and Hextall, I., forthcoming.
Curtis, P. (
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ education/2010/oct/24/michael-gove- pupil-premium)
5
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/ Articles/2010/10/21/115641/1632bn- early-intervention-grant-not-enough-say-
councils.htm
6
http://scan.lusu.co.uk/ news/2010/10/30/governments- comprehensive-spending-review-heralds- more-cuts-for-universities
7 8
Coote, A. in nef’s response to the spending review
This presents findings from the Happiness Counts project – run in partnership between nef and Action for Children.
Backing the Future p29 10 Backing the Future p18
9 11 Comprehensive Spending Review p19
Nov/Dec 10
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