More than 120 children’s charities have warned the prime minister that spending cuts have driven schools and support services for young people to “breaking point”.
A coalition working across sectors including education, health and social care has written to Theresa May and chancellor Philip Hammond calling for more funding in the upcoming Budget.
In the open letter to Downing Street, the charities accuse the government of “ignoring children”.
“We are writing to you because there is compelling evidence that the services and support that children and young people rely on are at breaking point,” the letter says.
“We believe this is because children and young people are being ignored in the government’s spending plans.”
‘Put children at the heart of spending’
They cite statistics on the parlous state of young people’s services, calling for the Budget to “put children and young people at the heart of government spending”.
They point out that the number of young people with special educational needs awaiting provision has more than doubled since 2010, and a record 90 children are taken into care every day.
Almost three-quarters of school leaders expect they will be unable to balance their budgets in the next financial years, they add.
“School funding is at breaking point with many headteachers having to drastically cut back on courses offered, resources, building repairs, school trips and after-school clubs,” said Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU.
“Enough is enough - our schools need more funding if we are to give all our children, including those with SEND, the education they deserve.”
Kathy Evans, chief executive of Children England, said: “We can’t stand by and watch children pay the bill for the recklessness and debts of bankers and politicians. Austerity is not over for children, it’s getting worse - and Theresa May must stop it.”
The letter is the latest attempt by education groups to highlight the funding challenge in schools, which have seen per-pupil spending fall 8 per cent since the Conservatives came to power.
Last week, teachers held a nationwide ‘”Floss for Funding” campaign in a bid to raise awareness of the impact of crippling cuts to school funding.
An estimated 3,000 people also marched through London to call for more further education funding, following a protest by more than 2,000 headteachers outside Downing Street last month.
