The County Councils Network has published a report exploring early intervention and prevention in children’s services in England. It examines how the children’s services system could prevent more children from entering care and support more children to return to their families after being in care. Using insights from data analysis and over 100 case reviews, the report highlights opportunities for local authorities and their partners to provide earlier and more coordinated support. Key recommendations include: more fully integrate schools into support systems; invest in preventative services; improve data sharing; focus more on parental support; and build trust and engagement with families. Key findings include: implementation of proposed changes could enable more than 6,000 additional parents each year to receive specialist support, which could prevent 2,250 children from entering care annually, a reduction of 14.5%; and proposed changes could deliver cumulative financial benefits of £4.7bn by 2035 through avoided care placement costs.
Read the report: From prevention to reconnection: working towards a multi-agency system that keeps more families together
Source: County Councils Network
Date published: 22 June 2026
