The chief executive of CAFCASS (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), Anthony Douglas is quoted by the BBC as calling for more resources to meet the needs of the ever increasing number of children coming into care.
There has been an unabated rise in the number of children coming into care since news of the Baby Peter tragedy broke in 2008. According to Douglas, the average monthly figure this year is 840, compared with 747 last year.
I find it disturbing that we do not seem to hear from either ministers or opposition spokespeople on this issue. We cannot have a situation - at a time of public spending restraints - in which pressure from increased demand is just allowed to grow and grow. Either substantially increased resources are required to meet the needs of these children or policies that will stem the increase in care proceedings are required. But, as we all know, preventative measures do not come cheap. So either way more money is required.
