Funding hint in minister’s brief funding hint

Tony Blair’s brief for the government’s new social exclusion minister could signal more funding for looked-after children in next year’s comprehensive spending review, a campaigner said this week.

David Holmes, the new chief executive of Baaf Adoption and Fostering, said Blair’s comments in a letter to Hilary Armstrong could be a signal that looked-after children will benefit from the review.

In the letter last week, the prime minister said Armstrong should play a key role in reforms to services for looked-after children.

He also said she should work closely with the Treasury and other departments to “help secure the best possible outcomes for excluded people and groups” in the CSR.

Although Armstrong will focus on looked-after children, and groups such as people with mental health problems, the Department for Education and Skills will retain the main brief for looked-after children.