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Measures adopted by local authorities in response to the Gershon efficiency review could put some voluntary sector organisations at risk, a leading figure in children’s services warned this week, writes Amy Taylor.

Speaking at a conference on children’s services Caroline Abraham, director of public policy at children’s charity NCH, said that some local authority’s were joining together to bulk buy services in an attempt to cut costs and that this could have bad implications on some voluntary organisations.

She said that some voluntary organisations may not be able to deliver services on the scale required by the bulk buying and that this was particularly the case for small groups.

Abrahams added that small bodies were often black and ethnic minority groups that were really needed.

The Gershon efficiency review requires local authorities to make a saving of 2.5 per cent over the next three years.

“We are not saying that anybody owes the voluntary sector a living, but where they are doing well, it would be a shame to drive them out of business,” Abrahams concluded.