Nearly a quarter of families with children under five are living in food poverty, new analysis by the Education Policy Institute has found. For families with at least one disabled adult, the rates increase to more than a third.
Nearly 800 vulnerable children in England have been placed in illegal care homes, raising serious concerns about their safety and wellbeing, according to a report by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee.
Giving children from low-income households access to similar opportunities to their peers during school holidays improves children’s health and wellbeing, promotes healthy eating, boosts school attendance, and improves inclusivity for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The number of looked-after children in England is almost 18 per cent higher than 10 years ago, with 81,770 in the care of councils as of 31 March 2025.
Residential care costs for looked-after children have almost doubled in five years, according to a new report from the National Audit Office.
The Government has announced a £600 million extension of the Holiday Activities and Food programme in England for another three years.
One-stop shops for services for babies and young children and their families are to be established in every local authority in England.
A failure to support children and young people with complex needs is driving very high care costs and not improving children’s lives, according to a new report commissioned by the LGA.
