More Money, More Problems? Addressing the Funding Conditions Required for Rights-Based Child Welfare Services in England

Calum J. R. Webb
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Calum J. R. Webb: Sheffield Methods Institute, The University of Sheffield, 219 Portobello, Sheffield S1 4DP, UK

Societies, 2022, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Policymakers and academics continue to debate the criteria used in formulas to allocate funding to children’s services, but few studies have considered how well the results of these formulas align with rights-based entitlements and commitments after implementation. This research measured correspondence between local authority spending per child and levels of income deprivation, special educational needs, and child development from 2011–2019 to assess the extent to which funding matches local authorities’ statutory responsibilities to provide support to children ‘in need’ under the Children Act 1989. There was weak and worsening correspondence between funding and needs, especially for preventative services.

Keywords: Children Act; child abuse and neglect; state expenditure; local authority variation; austerity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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