Responding to the Children’s Commissioner announcement to create local area profiles of child vulnerability during COVID-19, Cllr Judith Blake, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:
“Councils are very concerned about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on vulnerable children, including both those who already have social workers and those who become more vulnerable as a result of lockdown measures.
“Referrals to children’s social care have fallen by more than half in many areas and councils continue to work closely with local partners and communities to identify children who may be at risk.
“Understandably, many families are concerned for the health of their children and other family members if they attend school. Councils are working with schools and families to provide reassurance, and to make sure that where children aren’t in school, they are still being spoken with regularly.
“It is essential that local safeguarding partners, including councils, the police and health, have the resources and capacity they need to keep children safe, and that communities know how to spot signs of risk and how to report these.”
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