Safeguarding pressures

The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) has collected data from local authorities for the last 12 years. Their latest report Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7 outlines pressures faced by local authorities during 2019/20 while also including a focus on activity in the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although 127 pages long, it makes for interesting reading.

The pandemic, ensuing lockdowns and social distancing measures have had a significant impact on children’s mental and emotional health and wellbeing, and exposed and heightened the challenges that many children and families are facing,from ill-health, poor quality housing, poverty and inequality. The prevalence of domestic abuse, poor parental mental health and substance misuse are more common amongst children and families local authorities work with than ever before.