They will also impact on children's services and education widely. It is pleasing to note the Government's commitment to protect frontline services, but I believe that it will be inevitable that budgets will be reduced in the spending review.
We must then foster sensible and sustainable working relationships between the PVI and maintained sector. If in the past we have questioned the ideology behind partnerships, we should now be accepting the practical necessity for them. There will simply not be the money available to sustain the scale of provision needed for all children by public sector funding.
There is now, fortunately, a greater understanding of the business models needed to develop sustainable provision.
A shortage of reception places for some local authorities will also require some creative thinking. Undoubtedly, some of the expensive services that are not well used in children's centres will be under threat.
If we bury our heads in the sand or just complain about any type of change, then others will make the decisions for us. A lot of good things have happened for children over the past ten years, but we have certainly seen what ill-informed decisions can create in terms of waste and confused strategy. It is important that practitioners are part of suggesting and developing the solutions we need.
I look forward to ministers liaising with those in the sector who have experience and energy to effectively use the resources we will have in the future and to provide the best services we can for children and parents.
