Plea for idea links

The Local Government Association has asked councils for new
ideas to link services supporting children and families before they
get to crisis point.

The LGA has written to all local councils asking them to
volunteer as “pathfinder authorities” to pilot ways of joining up
key services like health, leisure, education and social care to
provide more effective support for children and their families, and
to prevent family breakdown.

The move is an effort to encourage preventive work with the 8-13
age group. An LGA policy document says that, in recent years, the
main focus of effort has been on early years and transition to
adulthood.

“It is generally more effective to provide services that support
children and young people at home with their families and carers
than to provide care and treatment away from home,” the document
says.