A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of children's support services after it emerged Oxfordshire County Council might not receive key Government funding.

Respite services for children with disabilities and programmes which support young carers would be two of the schemes affected if a £500,000 carer grant is not given to the county council by central Government.

The uncertainty over the funding will remain until at least the autumn as council officers wait for an announcement by the Department of Health which is expected in October.

There had been concerns that as much as £19m in funding might not be awarded to the council, prompting officers and councillors to lobby the county's MPs in a bid to safeguard children's services, such as youth offending and personal health and social education.

That money has now largely been secured, much to the relief of Andy Couldrick, head of early years and family support at the county council, but he says his team must wait to hear the outcome of the carers grant.

He said it would be "foolish" for the council not to plan for the worst, but it remained optimistic of receiving the funds and was "hoping for the best".

He said: "This money provides funding to enable us to offer a range of services for people who have significant caring responsibilities.

"If we do not receive the money there would be a risk of having to reduce the range of services the council provides to carers.

"The services are of vital importance and help young people who act as carers to family members, as well as providing respite services for children with disabilities."

He said the carers' grant was subject to assessment as part of a Government comprehensive spending review.

He added: "We obviously don't yet know what the outcome of the review will be, but we are looking to the Government to make sure we will have at least the same resources available to fund carer services in the future.

"We do not want to alarm or worry people who are affected by these services and want to assure them that we are optimistic about receiving the funding."

Mr Couldrick explained that much of the funding for children's services comes from Government in one- or three-year cycles.

The council had feared there could be a shortfall as great as £19m from March next year, but recent Government announcements have allayed those fears.

Mr Couldrick said: "Some of the services provided by that funding is used for hugely important projects such as working with young children who have been identified as showing risks of offending.

"The money allows us to set up activities for them to try to prevent them from getting into trouble and provide support and opportunities which they might not otherwise have access to.

"It was vitally important we received this money and we have been awarded funds to continue with another three-year project."

Some of this money is due to be used to expand a network of children's centres offering Oxfordshire parents support and advice. It will help provide 12 new centres across the county by March 2008 - taking the current number from 17 to 29 - and a further 16 centres are planned by 2010.

The centres are part of the Government's flagship Sure Start programme and provide a one-stop shop for support and advice.

Councillor Louise Chapman, the county council's cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: "We have used this money in the past to improve outcomes for children and young people in Oxfordshire.

"It is important we know what funding to expect so that we can plan for the future and set clear priorities for services.

"Children's services are judged to be good in Oxfordshire and we are working to give every child and young person the best possible start in life."