Cabinet members will consider a report that proposes strengthening our Children’s Services at their next meeting on Wednesday 2 November.  

The pandemic has strained family life, exacerbated by the cost of living and the national workforce crisis. Barnsley is not immune to these pressures. Demand has increased and caseload levels are challenging, making it difficult for us to do quality work with our children and families. 

We’re more determined than ever to make sure that our Children’s Services are strong, can protect our children and young people, and can withstand the challenges we face as a society and as an organisation. 

The report to Cabinet describes reviews that have taken place across Children’s Services and proposes:  

• £6.5M one-off investment (and £2.5M recurrent funding) to support the delivery of a development plan focusing on capacity, leadership, and early help  
• the creation of a multi-agency development board with an independent chair to manage the development plan  
• a practice hub to embed practice standards across the service 
• a focus on recruiting more roles and retaining our current employees
• investing in the training and development of employees

Cllr Trevor Cave, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said: “We want our children and young people to feel safe and have opportunities to live fulfilling lives.  

“This is our priority. We’re proud of our employees who are committed and work incredibly hard to make this happen. 
 
“Barnsley isn’t immune to the national challenges of staffing and budgets, made much harder by the impacts of the pandemic and cost of living crisis.  

“We don’t want to be in a position where our services can’t protect children, so we’re being proactive and getting on the front foot. If we implement these proposals, we’re confident that our services will be in a strong position.  

“Ensuring the best start in life and keeping our children safe is critical to making Barnsley the place of possibilities for everyone.”  

Read the Strengthening Children's Services cabinet papers here.