The Children's Social Care Cabinet Panel met to discuss the 2026/27 budget and medium-term financial strategy for children's social care, and to review the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2026-2031. The panel also considered a motion regarding government reductions to the Household Support Fund and the provision of free school meal vouchers.

Budget 2026/27 and Medium-Term Financial Strategy (Children's Social Care)

The panel discussed the proposed revenue budget for Children's Services, which stands at £310 million for the upcoming year, representing a 7% increase. This budget is set against a backdrop of significant financial challenges for Hertfordshire County Council, including a £42 million annual reduction in government funding over the next three years. Despite these pressures, Children's Services remains a priority, with an additional £16 million allocated to support children in care and those with disabilities, and a £1.4 million increase for fostering and adoption allowances.

Key pressures identified include inflation impacting independent placements (£5 million), demographic changes leading to an expected increase in children in care (£3 million for existing pressures and £4.8 million for future changes), and inflationary pressures on the 0-25 service (£400,000).

The budget also includes significant investments in transformation programmes, such as the residential accommodation strategy (£2 million in savings expected from increasing in-house capacity by 70 beds) and the Family Safeguarding and Children in Care programme (£1.6 million investment). Savings are projected across various programmes, including £2 million from the residential accommodation strategy and £3.8 million from the Family Safeguarding and Children in Care programme.

Concerns were raised by councillors regarding the adequacy of the fostering budget, the growing numbers of children in care, the sufficiency of funding for complex needs, and the feasibility of achieving the projected savings. Officers provided detailed responses, highlighting efforts in foster carer recruitment and retention, the reduction in children looked after numbers, and the robust oversight of unregistered placements. The budget was ultimately noted and endorsed to Cabinet.

Corporate Parenting Strategy 2026-2031: Your Care, Your Future

The panel reviewed the draft Corporate Parenting Strategy 2026-2031, titled Your Care, Your Future. This strategy has been co-produced with children and young people, incorporating their feedback from surveys and engagement with the Children in Care Council (CHICC). The strategy is built around seven priority areas aligned with Hertfordshire's outcome framework: Be included, Be healthy, Be safe, Be ambitious, Be resilient, Be independent, and Be happy.

Key discussions included the language used in the strategy, with suggestions to consider alternatives to BAME and to ensure the reading age is accessible for all children. The strategy's emphasis on warmth over love was also discussed, with officers agreeing to further consultation with young people. The panel also explored the monitoring of progress against the strategy's objectives and the potential for councillors to act as mentors for care leavers. The strategy was noted and recommended to Cabinet for implementation, with an amendment to include an expression of appreciation for those involved in its compilation.

Report to Motion on Government Reduction in Household Support Fund and Action Regarding Benefits-Related Free School Meal Supermarket Vouchers

The panel considered a motion expressing concern over the reduction in the Household Support Fund and the cessation of supermarket vouchers for children eligible for benefit-related free school meals during half-term holidays. Councillor Paula Hiscocks, who proposed the motion, highlighted the importance of these vouchers in preventing children from going hungry and urged for their reinstatement and parity of funding under the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF).

Officers explained that the CRF cannot be used for blanket provision of free school meal vouchers, but rather for targeted support to families experiencing crisis. While the council is exploring how to best utilise the CRF for targeted support, including potentially for free school meal vouchers in specific circumstances, a report on the plan for the new fund will be considered at a future meeting. The panel voted to recommend that a report on the plan for the new Crisis Resilience Fund be considered at a future meeting, with an assurance that the report would include discussion on the inclusion of food vouchers.