Member

Our reforms to family help and multi-agency child protection, backed by £2.4 billion over the next three years, will reduce reliance on rigid thresholds and expand access to timely, targeted support for children and families—exactly what we feel this amendment would restrict. Separately, in December 2023, the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 strengthened the whole proposal to make it explicit that local authorities and safeguarding partners should publish a threshold document for statutory services under Section 17. Ofsted inspects whether these local thresholds are set appropriately and the effectiveness of support and services for children in need. The statutory guidance is clear that plans setting out support and services for children should be reviewed regularly against progress.