More Money, More Problems? Addressing the Funding Conditions Required for Rights-Based Child Welfare Services in England

Policymakers and academics continue to debate the criteria used in formulas allocate funding children’s services, but few studies have considered how well results of these align with rights-based entitlements commitments after implementation. This research measured correspondence between local authority spending per child levels income deprivation, special educational needs, development from 2011–2019 assess extent which matches authorities’ statutory responsibilities provide support children ‘in need’ under Children Act 1989. There was weak worsening especially for preventative services.