New cash for children’s trust pilots

The government has announced it will give £1 million of new
money to the first wave of local authorities to pilot
children’s trusts later this year.

Funding will be allocated to the piloting authorities through
their children’s services grant to help with the
organisational costs of setting up trusts.

The government has said it has been “inundated” with
applications by authorities wanting to pilot trusts, and is to
announce shortly the 14 successful bids that are due to begin in
the autumn.

Details of how the government will allocate money for adoption
and fostering services over the next three years under the new
local government finance settlement, were also announced.

Originally announced by health secretary Alan Milburn last
October, the £180 million package is to improve and increase
support for adoption and special guardianship services paid through
the children’s services grant.

The new arrangements make provision for councils to spend an
extra £113 million on fostering services through the Choice
Protects scheme, with £70 million being allocated to adoption
support spread over the next three years.