Children and young people achieving positive outcomes
Performance reflections
We continue to strive and deliver support to our children across the city. There has been a net increase in numbers of children in care (excluding UASC), contributed to by some larger sibling groups entering care and a lower rate of children leaving care over this period. Although this means there has been an upturn in the rate/10,000, overall performance remains comparatively stronger than statistical neighbours.
On the other hand we have seen a reduction in repeat referrals, from 18.6% to 15.6% this year. Results are not only well above target but also surpass Statistical Neighbour and England averages. This indicates that children and families within the city are benefitting from effective, high-quality support and safeguarding measures. The improvements they experience remain stable over time, reflecting robust practice and sound decision making.
We continue to have a stable position on the % of children in care who have been in care before. Being well within our targets (6%), only 4.5% of children in care have been in care previously (rolling 12 months). This trend highlights the strengths in practice and decision making as regards the right children coming into care at the right time with effective care and permanence planning in place to deliver sustained outcomes for children.
Sixty-five point three percent of Coventry 5 year olds were assessed at being at a ‘Good level of development’ (GLD). Notwithstanding significant work in this area Coventry’s citywide GLD measure remains below national and just below statistical neighbour average in 2025. However, outcomes for 2025 improved from 2024 and at a faster rate than nationally.
With the government setting new GLD targets for councils, Coventry will be aiming to reach a target of 72.3% by 2028. We have also seen a 1.9% decrease in year 6 children who are overweight (including obese). This could be attributed to an integrated Family Health and Lifestyle service embedded in local settings, the impact of Family Hubs with hyperlocal approaches, and other CYP-relevant work.
A reduction from 40.8% in 2023 to 2024 to 38.9% in 2024 to 2025, amounts to 1,695 Coventry year 6 children in 2024 to 2025 down from 1,785 in 2023 to 2024. These reducing numbers contrast with an increase across England so, while childhood obesity rates in Coventry remain above the national average, the gap narrowed a little in 2024 to 2025. We have also seen a marginal increase in children living in relative low-income families 'Before Housing Costs since last year.
The ‘child poverty’ indicator used the definition of 'relative low-income families 'Before Housing Costs’, and the data has been revised with new calculations, therefore counts and percentages for previous years have been revised. The number of Coventry children estimated to be living in these households (where income is less than <60% of the national median) was 18,891 in 2024 to 2025, a quarter of all Coventry children aged 0 to 15 – 25.5%, a small change from the year before (25.2%).
New methods this year (DWP) enabled the creation of an additional measure: 'After Housing Costs'. This measure adjusts the estimates using different income thresholds, relative low income after the effect of housing costs on the household income distribution are accounted for – this increased to 24,000 Coventry children, 32.2% of 0- to 15-year olds.
The 2025 to 2026 Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme has been Coventry’s strongest and most comprehensive year of delivery to date with 3,075 children and young people supported through the Spring 2025 programme. The Summer 2025 programme further supported 4,274 children and young people including 1,637 children with SEND and an additional 2,387 through the Winter 2025 programme were supported.
In total 9,736 HAF places have been accessed. The customer services team are implementing the new crisis and resilience fund; with an emphasis on targeted support and building resilience in our most deprived families.
Actions taken in year
A robust performance management review and oversight approach in the service alongside dynamic and responsive Quality Assurance activity is enabling leaders to have a deeper understanding of areas of challenge and actions needed to address. This has been complimented by a robust, and consistent senior manager decision making approach in relation to children entering care with a strong focus continues on family strengths-based practice and valuing families, of which Reunification and Family Group Decision Making is a central part.
Re-referrals are an area of focus in the MASH multi-agency quality assurance program, which helps identify patterns, key themes, and areas where practice can be enhanced. This ongoing analysis ensures positive performance is achieved and children and families have meaningful outcomes.
Alongside this, early years continues to be a citywide priority through the Early Years Strategy and the Best Start for Life programme. Coventry also continues to invest in the Be Active Be Healthy (BABH) service provided by South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust. A Public Health review of the BABH service is currently being undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the service by comparing participants’ health metrics before and after taking part in programmes, which will inform future service delivery.
Through the Household support fund 17,156 individual households were supported in 2024 to 2025, ensuring timely access to essential support including receiving food support, energy support, clothing vouchers, and other support. Of this number 12,576 (roughly 73%) of households contain one or more children.
Improvements in the area of child poverty are complex and take time. With the Government announcing the national Child Poverty Strategy in December 2025, Coventry is now aligning its local approach with the national direction of travel.
Child poverty in Coventry is currently high and widespread. In 2024 to 2025, an estimated 24,000 children aged 0–15 were living in relative low- income households after housing costs, equivalent to 32.2% of children in the city. This is above the England rate of 26% and in line with the West Midlands, the highest regional rate in the country. Longer term improvements are projected through sustained, multifactorial support. Coventry’s is comparable to the average for metropolitan boroughs.
HAF uptake has increased due to developing the quality, reach and diversity of provision to offer new venues and activities. SEND and inclusion have been a focus resulting in 36% of participants being children with SEND. Food and nutrition education is received by young people alongside nutritious meals. A new booking system ASH been introduced to support efficient access to provision. Customer services team are implementing the new crisis and resilience fund; with an emphasis on targeting supporting and building resilience in our most deprived families.
A second 'auto enrolment' of Free School Meals was undertaken in 2025 to 2026 following a successful campaign in 2024 to 2025. As the initial campaign captured so many families we expected the follow up campaign to be less significant. However we reached in another 359 households, resulting in 478 children eligible for Free School Meals. In respect of financial support, if the families take up the FSM, this works out to an estimated saving of around £220,000 for families, plus an estimated £640,000 income for schools generated through pupil premium.
Through the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) Programme, the Council and partners have been able to proactively award Free School Meals through an opt-out campaign, awarding to households who had otherwise not actively claimed themselves. In 2024 to 2025, this resulted in Free School Meals awards to an additional 752 children and an additional £0.975 million pupil premium for Coventry schools. In 2025 to 2026, an additional 478 children have been awarded Free School Meals and additional pupil premium income of £0.64 million.