A CAMPAIGN has been launched to ensure Scottish councils safeguard children's services after it was revealed that 18 local authorities are facing a £35 million black hole in their finances.
The Scottish Children's Services Coalition (SCSC) has written to council leaders and chief executives in all 32 local authorities as well as umbrella body Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to urge them to protect resources dedicated to youngsters.
These include services such as schools and additional support for learning services, children and young people's social work and early years provision.
It has been reported that the Scottish Government funding for Scotland's 32 local authorities is set to be slashed for the next two years, with a real terms cut of £624m by 2015-16.
A spokesman for SCSC added: "A society should be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens and for councils to cut children's services should simply not be an option. We would therefore urge them to protect the provision of services to children and young people.
"What the current economic climate has done however is highlight that councils need to take a radical look at how they deliver services to children and young people against a background of cuts.
"Through the promotion of strategic partnerships with service providers and their greater involvement in service design and delivery, there is a real opportunity to create lasting change and deliver the best for some of Scotland's most vulnerable people."
Councillor Douglas Chapman, from Cosla, said: "All councils are committed to improving service delivery to children and young people. However the demand for services not just to them but to all parts of the community will always outstrip supply. In spite of these pressures, as well as reducing budgets and the impact of Welfare Reform, councils are taking very seriously, the messages of the Christie Commission on early intervention and preventative spend."
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