Spending Review Autumn 2021: Chancellor urged to invest in babies and children

In a new report, ‘Build Back Childhood – The Case for Investment’, the alliance argue that the Coronavirus pandemic has ‘painfully exposed’ existing inequalities shaped by the circumstances of a child’s birth, leading to disadvantaged children falling further behind their peers and those who were already vulnerable being put at even greater risk.

They go on to outline what they consider the priorities for spending - levelling up living standards and dealing with the cost of living, investment in prevention and early intervention, a ‘rounded approach’ to children’s recovery and giving every child the best start in life, and make a number of recommendations to achieve this.

Among the recommendations, set out by the alliance - whose members include children’s charities and organisations - is for an independent review into childcare and early education funding and affordability to be carried out, including whether current spending is sufficient to deliver the free entitlements.

Other recommendations include:

• A £500 million ringfenced uplift in the Public Health Grant over the next three years to train and recruit 3,000 new health visitors.
• An ‘urgent’ comprehensive education ‘catch-up’ package in line with Sir Kevan Collins’ recommendations, including specific funding for the rapid expansion of mental health support teams so that all schools are covered by 2023.
• Further expansion of the Family Hubs network so it can provide access points in local communities for families who need help.
• Reinstating the £20 uplift to universal credit and levelling-up legacy benefits by £20 a week - reducing child poverty by 350,000.
• Ending the benefit cap and two-child limit, which would pull nearly 300,000 children out of poverty.

Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive of the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), a member of the alliance, said, ‘As the Government pledges to unite and level up the whole of the country, and build back better and build back fairer, there is a clear case for the Government to ensure that babies, children and young people are not forgotten. The Spending Review is the Chancellor’s opportunity to build back childhood.’

Helen Donohoe, policy advisor at PACEY (the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years), said, ‘The spending review next week presents an opportunity for the Government to finally demonstrate its commitment to “levelling up” and supporting the many children who were impacted by the pandemic to achieve their full potential.'

• The report is available here