A cross-Whitehall strategy is needed to put children and young people at the heart of the pandemic recovery and ensure every child can regain lost learning and life experiences, the LGA has said.
It says a child-centred recovery shouldn’t focus solely on education and children’s services, but also on good-quality, affordable homes, space to play, access to libraries, clean air and safe streets.
The LGA is calling for the Government’s £500 million Youth Investment Fund – first promised in September 2019 – to be made available as soon as possible.
Council-run youth services, which are a vital social outlet for many young people, have seen funding reduced by more than two-thirds in real terms since 2010/11, from £1.4 billion to £429 million.
The LGA also wants £1.7 billion in lost Early Intervention Grant funding to be restored to councils.
Its calls for a cross-government strategy were raised in Parliament in July, in a Westminster Hall debate secured by David Simmonds MP, an LGA Vice-President (see p11).
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “We want to work with government to ‘Build back local’ and help give all children a great childhood, and help families to thrive, rather than struggle.
“This means developing a strategy that will focus on how we can level up for the next generation and ensure young people get the best opportunities, no matter where they are from.