Children at risk

There can be few more vulnerable than at-risk children - and yet, as the Yorkshire Post reports today, latest figures show hundreds more in the region need protection.

It remains unclear why there has been a 35 per cent spike since 2009 in numbers of child protection plans drawn up to protect youngsters from neglect, domestic abuse and substance misuse.

Certainly new measures in place since the Baby P and Victoria Climbie scandals are playing a significant part.

But there must be concerns that the recession triggering more breakdowns in family life is also a factor.

Council chiefs must ensure that child protection services are properly funded to allow staff to keep pace with the difficult task of ensuring youngsters are safe.

And if that involves putting pressure on Ministers for additional cash, then that must happen, not the least because early intervention is cost effective in the long run by preventing families requiring late support or children being put in care.

Although no doubt a considerable burden for councils, inspection regimes must also be maintained and, if necessary, stepped up to make sure services are up to scratch and it is encouraging that Ofsted now rates the majority of services as good or better.

But it is just not councils that are involved in child protection - NHS staff, the police, schools and health visitors also have key roles to play.

Protecting the most vulnerable - whether they be the elderly in care homes, people with learning disabilities or at-risk children - is too important to be put at risk by cuts which must instead be shouldered by those who can bear the burden.